More Than Meets the Eye
by Two Phantoms
Summary: This story takes place after the “Night Crawler” episode. Amanda leaves the Agency to pursue a job with Internal Affairs. It's a Christmastime story, and not that we didn't enjoy Santa's Got a Brand New Bag, we just wanted to write a different kind of ho
1. Part 1

**More than Meets the Eye**

_By Diane & Amy _

**Disclaimers: **Scarecrow and Mrs. King is copyrighted to Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Production Company. This story, however, is copyrighted to the mentioned authors. This story is for entertainment purposes ONLY. If you would like to add it to an archive, please just let us know.

**Summary:** This story takes place after the "_Night Crawler"_ episode. Amanda leaves the Agency to pursue a job with Internal Affairs. It's a Christmas-time story, and not that we didn't enjoy _"Santa's Got a Brand New Bag",_ we just wanted to write a different kind of holiday story.

**Timeframe: **Fourth Season (This story does not follow canon, exactly)

**Rating**: M - for Mature content

**Notes:** A very special thank you to Mary and Tammy for beta reading this story for us

**Story completed:** November 8th, 2000. Originally posted to Fanfiction in November of 2000. Reposted March 2006.

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Chapter 1

Amanda sipped her morning coffee as she watched the snowflakes turn the earth into a white blanket. Everything was so peaceful and calm, unlike the emotions that churned within her. She turned her eyes from the window and walked to the family Christmas tree. Christmas was less than two weeks away, and this was usually her favorite time of year. This year, however, it was also a time filled with uncertainty. She knelt to pick up a package that was neatly wrapped in red paper. She hoped that the person it was intended for never had to open it. She straightened the gold bow and returned the package under the tree.

"Hey, Mom, these new sleds are way cool," Phillip yelled as he slid in the back door.

"Yeah, Mom. They're awesome!" Jamie reaffirmed, tracking snow through the kitchen.

"Stop right where you are! Take yourselves back out to the porch and remove your shoes. Then, I expect you to go upstairs, change clothes and clean up this mess," Amanda placed her hands on her hips and shook her head.

"Ah, Mom! We were just going to get something to drink and head back out. It's really coming down now." Phillip protested.

Amanda smiled at her two drenched boys. She was going to miss them next week. "I think you've had enough for today. You need to get ready for your Dad. He'll be here in another half-hour or so. Go on upstairs and I'll fix you some cocoa."

"Mom, put extra marshmallows in mine!" Jamie yelled as he flew up the steps.

Phillip chased his brother up the stairs. "Ditto."

"Hey! Is anybody home?" Joe called as he entered the front door.

"In the kitchen," Amanda answered. "You're here early."

"I didn't have any more cases to deal with, so here I am." Joe replied. Walking into the kitchen, he noticed the small trail of water that started at the back door and headed up the stairs. "I see the boys are enjoying the new sleds I got them for Christmas."

"Yeah, they've been on those things all morning. I still wish you would've waited until Christmas to give them their gifts," Amanda answered, concentrating on her task of preparing cocoa.

"Well, being the wonderful father that I am, I knew this storm was blowing in and I didn't want them to miss any fun." Joe went over to the cabinet to retrieve a mug.

"You really are something," Amanda laughed as she added the marshmallows to the cocoa.

"You look beautiful this morning, Sweetheart. Are you sure you have to go into work? The boys and I would love to have you spend the day with us." Joe asked, pouring himself one of her delicious concoctions.

"Unfortunately, I do. I have a ton of paperwork waiting for me. I need to finish it before I leave for Atlanta. I've only been working at this new job for three weeks and I want to make a good impression. Besides, I'm sure you guys will have fun doing the 'man thing'," Amanda laughed.

"You like your new job?" Joe took a seat at the counter.

Amanda went to the sink to finish the morning dishes. "Yeah, it's different."

"How is Mr. Stetson taking all of this?" Joe asked before taking his first sip of the hot liquid.

"What do you mean?" Amanda turned an innocent face towards him.

Joe patted the stool beside of him. "You know exactly what I mean, Amanda."

"I haven't seen him yet." Amanda retrieved her cup of cocoa from the edge of the sink and sat at the counter with him.

"I'm glad you decided to leave all that Agency stuff behind you," Joe said, putting his hand over hers.

Amanda focused on her cocoa. "I'm not completely out of the Agency part, Joe. Just a different department."

"It's a lot safer behind a desk than out in the field," Joe reaffirmed, patting her hand.

"Yeah," Amanda quietly responded, keeping her eyes focused on the snow falling outside the kitchen window.

Joe noticed Amanda's lack of enthusiasm for her new job, and decided to change the subject. "Have you heard from your mother and Captain Kurt?"

"Yes. She called this morning. They're having a great time up at Pine Top. They really got a good dose of snow last night so they were heading out to enjoy the slopes."

"I'm so glad she has found someone that makes her happy." Joe smiled brightly.

"Me too, Joe." Amanda placed her other hand over Joe's.

"Is that you, Dad?" Phillip yelled down the steps.

"Yep. Are you and Jamie ready?" Joe yelled back.

"We'll be down in a minute," Phillip answered.

"Joe, I need you to do me a favor." Amanda took a tighter grip of his hand.

Joe noticed the seriousness in her voice and replied, "Sure, anything."

Looking deep into Joe's eyes, and with a slight catch in her voice, Amanda replied, "I want you to take care of the boys for me."

"I always do. You're only going to be gone for a few days, Amanda." Joe squeezed her hand.

"I know. You just never know what could happen on a trip out of town."

"Amanda, are you all right? Is there something going on at work that you want to talk about?"

Amanda shrugged her shoulders. "I'm fine, Joe. I've just had a few bad dreams and you know me, I worry."

"You worry too much, Sweetheart." Joe stood and placed a kiss on her cheek as the boys bounded down the steps.

Amanda watched while the three piled into Joe's car and headed out for some quality father-son time. She was glad Joe had come back into their lives on a more part-time basis. She glanced at her watch and realized it was getting late. She started to grab her coat when the phone rang.

"Hello."

"_Hi, Amanda. I'm just calling to tell you they have moved our flight up two hours, because of the weather. I'll send a car over at noon to pick you up_."

"Okay, Mark. I'll be ready."

"_I'm looking forward to our trip together_," Mark said in a seductive voice.

"Me too. I've got to run a few errands before we leave. I'll see you at the airport," Amanda quietly replied.

"_Till then_."

"Goodbye, Mark."

Amanda looked down at her left hand where her engagement ring should be. Lee was due home tomorrow and she wanted to leave before she had to see him. She hoped that he would understand. It was something she had to do. She sighed and pulled on her coat. Picking up her purse, she headed out the door.

Lee entered the Agency doors with a spring in his step. Finally, after four long weeks, he would be able to hold his fiancée in his arms.

"Welcome back, Scarecrow." Mrs. Marston's greeting brought him out of his daze.

Lee walked over to her desk. "Good morning, Mrs. Marston."

"Did you have a good trip?" she asked, handing him his badge.

Lee gave her a half smile. "Let's just say that I'm glad to be back."

"Mr. Melrose left word for you to report to him immediately." Mrs. Marston tilted her head down and looked at Lee over her glasses.

"I just bet he did," Lee said sarcastically as he bounded up the steps to the Q-Bureau.

Lee wanted to get back to familiar territory. He hadn't seen Amanda's car in the lot and it was way past time for her to be there. 'Maybe her jeep broke down again,' Lee thought as he fished his key out of his pocket.

He couldn't wait to get his hands on her. 'God, how I've missed that woman.' Lee smiled as he quickly unlocked the door to the Q-Bureau.

He was disappointed not to see her smiling face as he entered, but he knew it wouldn't be long till he had her in his arms. He dropped his keys on her desk and looked around the office they shared.

His eyes fell upon the dying plants that hung in the windows. He looked down at his partner's desk to see that there were no Christmas decorations, no pictures of the kids, nothing. He took a seat at her desk and pulled the drawers open.

"What in the hell is going on here!" Lee exclaimed when he found the drawers empty. He looked towards the door with the sound of the doorknob turning.

"I wish Rag Mop would remember to keep this door locked," Francine mumbled, bending down to pick up the files she had placed on the floor.

Lee waited until Francine was at the vault before he spoke. "Good morning, Francine."

Startled, Francine dropped her armload at the sound of his deep voice. "Lee Stetson! God, I wish you wouldn't do that!"

"Sorry, Francine." Lee stood and went to her side to help pick up the files.

"I didn't know you were due back today," Francine said, regaining her composure.

"I wasn't. Things got wrapped up a little early. What the hell is going on?" Lee asked as he opened the vault door for Francine.

"What do you mean?" she asked, handing Lee the files so she could open the filing cabinet.

"Where's Amanda's stuff?" Lee asked, pointing towards her desk.

"I figured your little housewife already told you," Francine replied smugly as she took the files back from him.

"Told me what, Francine? I've been gone for a month. Remember? I haven't been able to talk to anybody but Billy," Lee asked in a demanding voice.

"She took a job with I.A. about three weeks ago." Francine looked up to be greeted by Lee's furious stare.

"Amanda took a job at Internal Affairs!" Lee shouted.

"Hey, don't shout at me. All I know is one minute she was sorting through files for us, and the next, she had accepted a job with I.A." Francine kept her eyes focused on the files.

"Francine, why would she do that?" Lee asked, trying to calm down and hold onto his patience, which seemed to be unraveling at an alarming rate.

"I really don't know. The last time I saw her, personally, was when she was talking with Billy and Smyth about a week ago. When she left the office, I stopped to ask her if she had heard from you. She didn't even reply. She looked back at the office and left just as Smyth came out and followed her out the door. I went to ask Billy what it was all about and the only response I got was 'need to know'." Francine looked up from her completed filing to find she was alone.

Lee exited the elevator doors and headed for the bullpen.

"Welcome back, Scarecrow." Lee looked up to see the face of Karen Motley, a member of the steno pool.

"Thanks," Lee muttered as he walked around her.

"Maybe things will get back to normal with you here. We sure do miss Mrs. King," Karen said as she slipped into the waiting elevator.

Lee turned to look at the woman as the doors closed. 'This has to be a joke,' Lee thought as he continued his path to Billy's office.

"Hey, Scarecrow." Frank Summers gave Lee a pat on the back as he entered the bullpen.

Lee glanced towards his fellow agent. "Hey, Frank," he half-heartedly replied.

"Glad to have you back. Things were way too quiet while you were gone." Frank smiled at Lee.

"Yeah, so I've heard." Lee's eyes focused on Billy office.

"I hate that you lost your partner, but I hear Smyth has got a new one already lined up for you. All the rookies have been aggravating the shit out of Billy for the position," Frank said as he watched Lee's face turn from surprise to anger.

"I'll talk to ya later, Frank." Lee turned and made it a few more steps before being stopped by another agent.

Debbie Collins walked around her desk to face him. "We've missed you, Lee."

"Yeah, thanks. Excuse me, I really need to talk to Billy." Lee moved around the young blonde and entered Billy's office without knocking.

Billy sat at his desk, tapping his pen against the hard grain of the wood. He had watched Lee make his way through the bullpen, and knew that it was only a matter of seconds before Lee barged into his office wanting answers.

"I've been gone for a month and all hell breaks loose. What happened while I was gone? Why was she reassigned to I.A.?" Lee demanded, standing in front of Billy's desk.

Billy stood and pointed to the chair in front of his desk. "Have a seat, Lee."

"I don't want to sit. I want answers!" Lee shouted, placing his hands on Billy's desk.

Billy looked into his friend's eyes and immediately saw the fire that flowed through his veins. This was going to be much harder than he had anticipated. "Lee, there's not much to tell. Amanda was offered a part-time position with Internal Affairs, and Smyth gave her a choice of the Agency or them. The job at I.A. offers a higher salary than we can offer her here. It's a safe job with reasonable hours. When I.A. found out that she was interested, they gave her a full time position instead."

Lee flopped back into the waiting chair. He ran his fingers through his hair, trying hard to make sense of the words Billy had just spoken.

Billy watched Lee's face turn from confusion, to hurt, to anger in a matter of seconds.

"She would have talked to me first." Lee looked at his superior.

"Like you said, you've been gone for a month, Lee. A lot of things have changed." Billy leaned back in his leather chair, mentally preparing for his agent's wrath.

"Like what?" Lee looked at Billy with irritation evident on his face.

"Amanda said she couldn't take the pressure of being an agent any more. Too much had happened over the past few months. She decided to do what was best for her boys." Billy hoped the mention of her family's safety would calm Lee down.

"If she was feeling that way, I know she would have said something to me _before_ I left. This doesn't make any sense. We've always made sure that her family was safe." Lee looked at his boss, his eyes now full of confusion.

Billy straightened in his chair and placed his arms on his desk. "I know that, Lee. I guess she just saw this as a better opportunity."

"Who offered her the damn job?" Lee asked as he rose from his seat and began to pace.

"Mark Dobson," Billy replied quietly, watching his young agent.

"Mark Dobson! He's been after Amanda since day one, and not just for her work ethics either. No wonder he's been prowling around while I've been gone. This is his sick idea of revenge against me!" Lee barked, letting the emotions that flowed through his body exit his mouth.

"What are you talking about?" Billy raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Ever since Paul gave me the OZ position, instead of him, he's had it out for me. All of this happened because he was assigned to a desk job at I.A., instead of being out in the field with the Wizard. Now he's using Amanda to get his revenge." Lee's words quaked with anger as he stopped in front of Billy's desk.

"Lee, you take everything too personally. Amanda was offered the job because she's qualified. She has the right education requirements, plus all the field experience she received here. There were others interviewed and they chose her." Billy shook his head at Lee's assumption.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Lee shoved his hands in his back pockets and began to pace the room again.

"Lee, you should be happy that she has found a safe job. I can't count the times you wanted to get rid of her. Is there something going on that you're not telling me?" Billy asked not expecting Lee to answer truthfully.

Lee looked at his boss and friend. He wanted to tell him everything, but instead he held his tongue. "No, Billy, there isn't."

"I've been ordered to assign you another partner. You know, there are plenty of new recruits that would sell their soul to be your partner." Billy pointed to the bullpen.

"Don't even try it. If I can't work with Amanda, then I work alone." Lee turned and started walking towards the door.

"Lee, I would let this one go," Billy encouraged.

"Not a chance, Billy. Not until I talk to Amanda." Lee stopped mid-stride and turned back to face Billy.

Billy decided to change the subject. "Fine, but first I need a debriefing of your London assignment."

"That assignment was the biggest bunch of bullshit I've ever seen. I spent the past four weeks undercover, as a bartender, trying to track down a mystery man," Lee stated exasperatedly, and resumed his pacing.

"A cover, that I might remind you required contact zero, except to report to you on a daily basis." Lee looked to Billy, emphasizing each word. "This man, whom you and Smyth were so sure was involved with the missing agents, turned out to be a two bit bookie. If I had stayed here in my own jurisdiction, maybe none of this shit would have happened." Lee walked to the door and placed his hand on the doorknob.

Billy stood and walked over to Lee. "We had good reason to believe—"

"I don't know _what_ Smyth is up to, but when I find out, there _will_ be hell to pay." Lee slammed the door behind him.

Billy shook his head and watched his hotheaded agent storm out of the bullpen. He walked back to his desk and picked up the phone.

Chapter 2

Amanda sat in her family room looking at her Christmas tree while she waited for her ride to the airport. She closed her eyes and laid her head back against the couch. Not looking forward to the events that lay ahead, she allowed her thoughts to drift back to a happier time four weeks ago.

"_I'm going to miss you, Amanda." Lee wrapped his arms around her waist as she finished packing his suitcase._

_"I'll miss you more," Amanda teased as she turned to face him._

_Lee gave her a quick kiss on the nose. "I doubt that." _

_"Prove it, Scarecrow." Amanda gently pulled his head down, capturing his lips with hers._

_"Mmm... If this is the send off I get, I'll have to leave town more often," Lee taunted as he went back for seconds._

_"If you think the send off is good, you just wait for your coming home present." Amanda wiggled out of his embrace to finish packing his suitcase._

_"Why wait?" Lee swept her off her feet and laid her on the other side of the bed. He quickly pinned her to the bed by placing his knees on either side of her hips and claimed her mouth with his._

_Amanda parted her lips and eagerly accepted his hungry mouth. He tugged her shirt loose from her pants and slid his warm hand over her cool skin. Amanda felt her body tremble as his large hand caressed her breast through her silk bra. Lee's touch became more intense as he felt her nipple harden under his fingers. He lowered his lips to her neck, knowing the response he would receive._

_"Mmm…Lee..." _

He smiled into her neck as she wrapped her fingers in his hair. He continued his exploration of her soft skin. His lips sought other sensitive spots, while he nimbly began to unbutton her shirt. Amanda could feel his need growing as he quickly hardened against her abdomen.

_"Lee…" Amanda moaned as his lips began to drift down to her breasts._

_"Hmm…" Lee looked up from his pleasurable task._

_"Your plane leaves in thirty minutes," Amanda whispered, trying to control her own hormones._

_Lee gave her a wicked grin. "I'll catch the next flight out." _

_"Don't you know that 'good things come to those who wait'?" Amanda gently removed his wandering hand from her body._

_"All work and no play makes Lee a dull boy'. Billy told me that!" Lee proclaimed, and reluctantly rolled off her._

_"I don't think he had this in mind," Amanda teased as she buttoned her shirt._

_Lee looked into her passion filled brown eyes. "I'm sorry, Amanda."_

_"Don't be. I just don't want us to do this on the 'fly,' so to speak." Amanda grinned, and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek._

_"It's just when I touch you, or even kiss you, my whole body comes to life," Lee explained, playing with a curl of her hair that lay on her shoulders._

_"So I noticed," Amanda said impishly as she looked down at his body._

_"Well, I guess I need to go take a cold shower now." Lee kissed the nape of her neck._

_"I think the long flight to London will take care of your problems." Amanda playfully smacked him on the arm._

_Lee reluctantly rolled himself into a sitting position and stood from the bed. "I don't know about that," he moaned as he headed to the bathroom. _

_"I'll just finish packing while you freshen up," Amanda laughed, as she concentrated on his suitcase._

The ringing of the phone brought Amanda back to the present. She blinked back the tears that were forming in her eyes. She had to think of the future and stop reminiscing about the past. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she realized that her ride would soon be there. She hoped that she would be able to leave town before Lee realized what had happened.

"Aren't you going to answer the phone? It could be important," Lee said, shaking the snow from his hair.

Amanda quickly stood, her heart skipping a beat as she looked at the handsome man before her. "What are you doing here? You're not due in till tomorrow."

Lee scoffed, "I'd expected a more enthusiastic welcome from my fiancée, especially since I'm a day early."

"I'm sorry. You just surprised me. Why are you here and not at the Agency for your debriefing?" Amanda forced a smile to her lips, refusing to move from her spot.

"Well, when I returned from London this morning, I found that my partner _and_ fiancée had quit her job. I figured I'd better come by and see what the hell was going on, especially since no one else would give me a straight answer." Lee's anger and hurt quickly melted away as he looked at the beautiful woman before him.

Amanda avoided making eye contact with him. "I'm sorry, Lee. It all happened so suddenly, and you weren't around to talk things over with."

Lee closed the distance between them and encircled her waist with his strong arms. "I'm here now, so let's talk."

"The problem is that you're gone so much lately." Amanda forced herself to pull away from his touch and walked into her kitchen. She couldn't be next to him. 'Why had he come home early? I didn't want to do this.' Her mind rushed with ideas of how to get rid of him before her ride showed up.

Lee followed her to the kitchen. "Amanda, it's my job."

"I know, Lee. I can't ask you to give up your job. You love it too much. I just can't deal with you not being here when I need you." Amanda turned from his intended touch towards the kitchen door, and began to fidget with her necklace.

"Amanda, we've talked about this before. I thought we were going to work this out together. I know things will be rough to start with but, in time, we will hopefully be able to let the world know of our love," Lee quietly said as he watched her nervous actions.

"I just needed to get away from all the danger that comes with the Agency. I had to do it for my family." Amanda continued to play with her heart pendant as she looked out her kitchen door. The snow swirled around the small back yard with the same furious force her own emotions were now in.

"Amanda, I understand. At least, I think I do. Why didn't you tell me this before?" Lee asked as he placed his hand on her chin to turn her face to look at his. She looked in his tender hazel eyes. They were filled with so much love for her. She memorized his gentle features so she could hold them close to her heart.

"Lee, you really don't understand," Amanda whispered.

"Explain it to me then," he said, lowering his voice.

She was racking her brain for an answer, when she was saved, by the ringing of phone. "I'd better get that."

"Yeah, it might be more important than what we're discussing," Lee seethed through clenched teeth.

Amanda felt a shiver go through her body as she heard his cold tone. "Hello."

"Hello, Amanda. I've been trying to call you all morning!" Billy stated exasperatedly.

"I've been busy." Amanda turned her back to Lee.

"Scarecrow's back in town."

"Yes, Mother. I found that out a few minutes ago," Amanda replied, wrapping the phone cord around her finger.

"Is he there?" Billy asked.

Keeping her eyes focused on the floor, Amanda responded, "Yes, Mother."

"Amanda, you need to keep him in the dark on this one."

"Thank you for reminding me," she snapped out. She didn't mean to get snippy with Billy, but this whole situation wasn't one she was extremely happy with. She looked up to see that Lee had moved from behind her and now stood in front of her, glaring intensely.

"Good Luck," Billy stated.

"Thanks, I'm going to need it. I'll see you in a few minutes, Mother." Amanda hung up the phone.

"Your Mother?" Lee stated the obvious.

"Yes, Lee. Actually, my mother will be here any minute. You need to leave," Amanda lied as she escaped to the kitchen.

"Why? She's seen me here before," Lee asked as he followed her.

Amanda stood before her Christmas tree. "I don't want her to see us arguing."

"We're _not _arguing. We're _discussing_ what in the hell has been going on." Lee placed his hands on her shoulders.

"You need to leave," Amanda protested as she pulled away from him and walked to the French doors.

"Amanda, would you stay put for one minute so we can talk? Please." Lee ran his fingers through his hair as he followed her to the den.

"Lee, you need to leave," Amanda reaffirmed, concentrating on the snow.

"Amanda, something's wrong. Tell me what it is." Lee placed his hand on her arm and pulled her around to face him.

She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "Lee, things have changed since you've been gone. I came to realize that our relationship could never work."

"What in the hell do you mean by that?" he hissed.

"Exactly what it sounds like," Amanda whispered, glancing back at the tree.

"Are you telling me that you want to end it between us?" Lee asked.

Amanda looked into his hazel eyes. "Yes."

"Amanda…You are all that I could ever want in my life--" Lee stammered, trying to find the right words.

"Lee, did it ever occur to you that maybe you are not what I want in my life?"

"Not what you want in your life! If _I'm_ not what you want, then exactly what is it that you _do_ want!" Lee released her and began to pace her family room.

"Lee, you could never be what I need. Please leave my house and my life," Amanda whispered, as she sat back on the couch.

"If I remember correctly, it didn't seem that way a month ago. We couldn't get enough of each other." Lee stopped and stood before her.

Amanda looked up at his determined face. She had known that he was going to be difficult to convince, but she hadn't wanted to go this route. She took a deep breath and began a new approach. "A month is a long time, Lee. I had time to think while you were away. Our relationship could never work. I realized it was the excitement you brought into my life that I loved."

"What! That is the biggest line of crap I've ever heard Amanda King! Tell me what is going on!" Lee grabbed her arms and forcefully pulled her up to face him.

"Let me go, Lee. You're hurting me," she whispered, as she looked into his pain filled eyes.

Lee looked at the hands that grasped her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Amanda," he whispered back, releasing her. "I just don't understand. I thought that we had something special. I thought that you loved me for _me_." He shoved his hands in his pockets, and started to pace her family room once again.

"I'm sorry, Lee. I just came to my senses while you were gone. I guess you could say a 'light' came on. Things became so much clearer when you left. We lead different lives. I need a man that can help me raise a family. Not one who has to fly off to gosh knows where at the drop of a hat on Agency business for weeks, even months, at a time. Every time you leave on one of those trips, I'm terrified that you'll never walk back through that door. If you really think about it, Lee, you're not the kind of man I need at all." Amanda started towards the steps that led to her bedroom.

"Amanda, don't do this to me. You're the only woman I have ever loved. Hell, you're the only person that I've ever cared about this way." Lee walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Lee, I'm sorry." Amanda tried hard to keep her voice from cracking.

She felt her body betray her as she relaxed in his embrace. She needed him so badly, but there was so much at stake. "Lee, don't make this harder on yourself. _I'm_ not the type of woman you need in your life. You could never be happy with a simple housewife from Virginia." Amanda lifted her eyes to meet his.

"You're anything but a simple housewife, Amanda; you are so much more. You're the woman that I want to spend the rest of my life with." He leaned forward to taste her sweet lips.

Amanda again pulled from his embrace and rushed up the steps.

He quickly followed her flight up the stairs. Amanda walked over to her bed and picked up her suitcase. As she turned to exit her room, Lee stood in her path.

"Lee, it's over. I'm not the woman you thought I was."

"I'm not going to let you throw our love away that easily, Amanda King." Lee stood determined in her doorway.

"We all have to make sacrifices in our lives to ensure that the people we love are happy, Lee. So please, do this for me. If you love me like you say you do, then you'll let me go. Go on with your life. Forget about me. Forget about us. Return to your fancy restaurants and nightclubs. You're not the type of man that would ever settle for hamburgers and wine. We could never make each other happy." Amanda walked around him and headed back downstairs.

"Where in the hell are you going?" Lee asked as he noticed the suitcase she carried.

"I'm leaving town for a few days," Amanda stated as she placed her luggage next to the front door.

"Amanda King, you look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't love me. If you can do that, I will let you walk out that door and never bother you again." Lee grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.

Amanda stood quiet for a moment. She looked at his worried face and gently placed her hand on his cheek. "Please, Lee. Don't make me do this."

A wave of relief washed across his face. "I knew it! You can't do it! What has Smyth got you into?"

She swallowed and closed her eyes, managing to summon strength from someplace deep in her soul that, until that very moment, she never new she possessed. She lifted her head and looked him straight in the eye. "Lee, I thought that I loved you. I don't know how I feel now. After you left, I went out with Mark a few times. He was there when I needed someone and you were off, as usual, playing James Bond. It made me rethink our relationship. I just don't think that it would work out for us. Please don't see me again."

"Mark!" Lee released her arm, as if her skin had burned him. Her body screamed in pain, as she saw the reflection of betrayal in his eyes. She had the overwhelming urge to wrap her arms around him and tell him it was all a bad dream, but she couldn't.

"Yes. Mark Dobson." Amanda made herself look into his eyes.

"That son-of-a-bitch only wants one thing, Amanda!" Lee yelled. She remained silent as he released a tidal wave of raging anger. "Is that what you want? If all you wanted was a romp in the sack, I could have filled that bill a long time ago, Sweetheart!"

Amanda opened her mouth to protest, but the sound of a horn interrupted her. "That's my ride, Lee. I'm sorry to rush off. Our flight is leaving earlier than we had anticipated."

"'Our flight'! Are you taking off with Mark!" Lee demanded, as his scorching stare followed her to the closet.

Amanda skirted around the issue. "Lee, I really have to go. We can continue our conversation later."

Lee continued his blistering stare towards her. "You can be damned sure of that! I'm not going to let you end this relationship until I get some real answers!"

Amanda picked up her suitcase and opened the door to find the waiting driver.

"I'll take that, Mrs. King."

Amanda handed him her bags. "Thank you."

"Amanda!" Lee slammed the door and followed her out into the snow.

"I'm sorry, Lee." Amanda entered the waiting car and closed the door.

Lee watched his reason for existence pull away as he stood, feeling paralyzed, in the driving snow. He felt his eyes begin to burn and a wet substance slide down his cheeks. He reached up and wiped away the unfamiliar tears.

"I'm not going to let you go that easily," Lee declared as watched the limo round the curve out of his sight. He didn't know what had happened, but he was damn sure going to find out.

Amanda looked through the tinted glass of the limo at the man who stood in her driveway. "Goodbye, my love," she whispered as she held back the burning tears. She knew that she had hurt Lee beyond anything that words would repair, but it wasn't his happiness she had to concentrate on; it was his life.

To Be Continued….


	2. Part 2

See Part 1 for Disclaimers, Notes, etc.

Chapter 3

Lee opened his apartment door to find that his home held the same emptiness he had found in the Q-Bureau. He tossed his keys on the table by the door and went directly to his bedroom. He needed a quick shower and change before heading back to the Agency.

He opened his closet door to retrieve a change of clothes. He stopped his search as he realized all of Amanda's personal effects had been removed. She had kept some clothing and makeup at his apartment for all those cases that turned out messy. This made her life easier when she didn't have to face her mother with a bullet hole in her sweater, or mud caked on her clothes. He left the closet open and went to inspect his bathroom. "It's all gone. It's like she was never part of my life," Lee groaned as he went to his dresser.

He pulled open the drawer gradually, afraid that it wouldn't be there. He pulled the velvet box from its hiding place and walked over to his bed. He slumped down onto the bed and opened the petite box. The diamond within glistened at him as the light from the window caught its reflection. He had placed his hopes for his future in this tiny object a few months ago. Lee remembered the love that shone in Amanda's eyes as he placed the ring on her finger that day in the Q-Bureau; it was undeniable that she loved him.

Lee closed the box and placed it back in its hiding place. "When I find out what is going on you, will not be kept in this damn drawer," he vowed. He turned his attention to the task of preparing to go back to the Agency.

Amanda focused on the houses that were decked with Christmas decorations as she rode to the airport. Her body tensed as the car pulled off to a side street and stopped. She coughed slightly as the back seat filled with smoke, and the window from the driver's compartment slid all the way down.

"I see that Scarecrow didn't take the news well."

"How did you expect him to take it?" Amanda fanned her hand in the air to remove the smoke from her face.

"He's an agent. Agents don't get emotionally attached, my dear." Smyth turned to face Amanda.

"He's a man, not a robot." Amanda looked into his emotionless blue eyes.

"You must not be concerned about our little Scarecrow's feelings. It's his life you are interested in." Smyth mocked as a crooked grin crossed his lips.

"I know that," Amanda firmly stated.

"The last agent that went missing was found floating in the Potomac yesterday. Tests show that he was doped to the gills with truth serum. We can't afford for _all_ our little secrets to get out." Smyth exhaled another cloud of smoke.

Amanda bit her lip in an effort to hold back the words she wanted to fling at Smyth.

"Cat got your tongue?" Smyth chided, narrowing his eyes at her.

Amanda glared at him, but remained silent.

"Well, well. You're running out of time, 'Little Mother Hubbard'. Before long, when you go to the cupboard to fetch your poor dog a bone, you may find it to be bare. Do I make myself clear?" Smyth asked as a small smile crossed his lips.

"Crystal clear, Sir," Amanda calmly stated.

"Carry on." Smyth opened his door and exited the car.

Amanda exhaled the breath she was holding. Smyth's verbal garbage meant that Lee's name was rising to the top of the list. She was going to have to make this trip count.

"You all right, Mrs. King?" the young driver asked.

"I'll be fine. Let's go. We shouldn't keep Mr. Dobson waiting." Amanda tenderly smiled at him.

"Yes, ma'am," the driver said before he closed the window between them.

Lee entered the Q-Bureau to make a few quick phone calls to his civilian contacts, and then a trip back to Billy Melrose's office was in order. He shuffled through the papers on his desk looking for his contact book.

"Hello, Mr. Stetson."

Lee looked up from his task to find a man in his early twenties standing in the office doorway.

"Can I help you?" he asked, annoyed to be pulled from his search.

Kevin strode over to Lee's desk and extended his hand. "My name is Kevin Miles. I'm your new partner."

Lee looked at the young man as if he were a leper. "I think you've been given the wrong impression. I already have a partner," he sneered, glaring at the young man.

"I don't think so. Mr. Melrose sent me up here to introduce myself," Kevin beamed as he walked over to Amanda's empty desk. "So, what's our first assignment?"

Lee watched the self-assured man make himself comfortable in Amanda's chair. He was neither in the mood, nor did he have the patience, to deal with this arrogant rookie.

"We'll discuss this further later. Right now I need to go have a word with Billy. You stay here and _don't touch anything_! Understand?" Lee snapped, emphasizing his last few words.

"Yep, I'll be waiting right here for you, Chief." Kevin quipped back at him.

Lee gave his boss's door a light tap before he entered. Taking a seat in front of Billy's desk he asked, "Billy, what's the big idea of sending me a new partner? I thought we already had this discussion?"

"Good afternoon, Lee." Billy cheerfully smiled at his employee.

"Well!" Lee was growing impatient.

"You need a partner in the Q-Bureau, Lee. You can't handle the caseload all by yourself." Billy leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Billy, I don't need a new partner. I already have one," Lee insisted as he rose to pace the room.

"Do you know something that I don't?" Billy arched his thick eyebrows.

"Amanda is still my partner regardless of what you, she, or anybody else says for that matter." Lee stopped in his tracks and turned to face Billy. "Something stinks about all of this and I'm going to find out what it is

"Lee, you need to face the facts that she has moved on with her life, just like you should be moving on with yours," Billy tried to convince him.

Lee gave Billy a quick glance before he continued his pacing.

Billy watched his agent and friend. He knew that this had to be hard on Lee. He was finding it hard on himself not to tell Lee the truth, but he knew that Amanda didn't need him shadowing her at the moment. She was treading on thin ice, and needed her contrary partner as far away as possible. "What did Amanda have to say?"

Lee stopped at the window and looked towards his superior. "How did you know that I talked to her?"

"I know you, Scarecrow. You went to straight to the horses mouth for answers," Billy responded.

"So? What if I did?" Lee snapped, returning his attention back to the bullpen.

"What did she tell you?" Billy asked. He could only imagine how hard it had been on Amanda to face the wrath of a very pissed off Lee.

"It doesn't really matter _what_ she said, it was _how_ she said it," Lee glared at his boss.

Billy rose from his chair and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Lee, I know you're hurt. She had a hard time deciding, but in the end, we all have to accept her decision."

"Hurt! I hardly think that describes what I'm feeling at the moment," Lee grumbled as he looked back out at the busy bullpen.

"Give it time. It's always hard to let someone you care about go. Perhaps, if you throw yourself into your work, everything will look better in a few days," Billy said, trying once more to take Lee's mind off of Amanda.

"It seems the bad guys are the only ones I can depend on not to change." Lee turned from the window, and flopped in the chair in front of Billy's desk.

"Yeah, they are definitely a constant in our lives. What do you say you give your new partner the grand tour of the Q-Bureau?" Billy returned to his desk.

"Billy, I already told you—" Lee began.

"I know it'll be hard to adjust to someone new, but I think you should give Kevin a chance. He definitely needs some refining and I think you're just the man to do it," Billy interrupted Lee.

"I don't want--" Lee started again.

"Don't make me make this an order, Scarecrow. Just do it!" Billy firmly stated.

Lee stood and left the office quietly, almost too quiet for Billy's comfort.

"I'm going to have to send him out of the area and as far away from Amanda King as possible if this operation is going to work," he mumbled, watching Lee exit the bullpen. Billy reached for his red phone to make a few inquiries about the availability of any out of state assignments.

Lee walked up the steps to the Q-Bureau as if he were walking through quicksand. He mulled over Billy's words. 'I'll give Kevin the grand tour and more. I think me and rookie boy have a new assignment: Mrs. Amanda King,' Lee thought as a slight smile glinted across his face.

Amanda pulled her coat up around her neck as she walked through the frigid air into the airport terminal.

Mark slipped up behind her placing his arm around her waist. "I'm glad to see you made it."

Forcing a smile to her lips Amanda replied, "The roads were clear. The state is really on top of things this year."

"FLIGHT 739 TO ATLANTA, GEORGIA NOW BOARDING AT GATE 34," an airport attendant announced over the intercom.

Amanda pointed to the flight chart. "That's our flight, Mark. I guess we should be heading that way."

"Nope. We've had a change of venue," Mark cheerfully replied.

"What do you mean?" Amanda asked as she looked up at Mark's cheerful face.

Mark took her hand and led her in the other direction. "I.A. had some important information that was needed in New York. I thought it would be a perfect opportunity for me to show you around the New York office. We work so closely with them."

"Oh, Mark, that was very considerate of you." Amanda's mind raced with the new information. Mr. Melrose and Dr. Smyth both thought she was going to Atlanta. Her backup was already on the way there. She needed to slip away from Mark and inform them before she boarded the plane.

Mark continued to lead her in the direction of the terminal gate that lead to the private jet. "Not a problem. I don't want my new aide to be in the dark about our operations there."

"I really should go to the ladies room before we board," Amanda stated, hoping for the time needed to make a quick phone call.

Mark tightly gripped her hand. "We really need to board now, since we are flying in on a private jet, and the pilot doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Amanda didn't want to tip her hand, so she returned his grip and continued with him to the gate. "Oh, I didn't know that I.A. had a private jet."

"A friend of mine is letting us borrow it for the flight to New York. There weren't any spaces available for us on regular flights, and he owed me a favor," Mark boosted.

"That was very nice of him. Whose jet is it?" Amanda asked, hoping to obtain more information about Mark's associates.

"You wouldn't know him. He's the type of man who keeps pretty much to himself," Mark explained as he stopped at the terminal gate. "We're here."

Amanda straightened his tie. "You'll have to thank him for me."

Mark smiled down at the beautiful woman before him. "You never know, you might just get to meet him on this trip." He was going to enjoy her company; even more than that, he was going to love flaunting her in front of Lee Stetson over the next few weeks.

"That would be wonderful!" Amanda exclaimed as she took the hand Mark offered, and followed him down the walkway to the jet.

Chapter 4

Lee entered the Q-Bureau to find Amanda's desk empty. He looked over towards his own desk to find that Kevin was engrossed in one of his civilian contact books. Letting the door slam behind him, he took two quick strides in the direction of his desk.

As Lee ripped the book from Kevin's clutches, he shouted, "What in the _hell _do you think you're doing!"

"I was just trying to get familiar with our contacts." Kevin looked calmly at the angry senior agent.

"This is _my _book, _not_ yours," Lee seethed through clinched teeth.

Kevin quickly exited Lee's chair. "Wow, Chief. No harm intended, man."

As Lee shoved the book into his coat pocket, he could feel his blood pressure rising to the boiling point. "I _told_ you NOT to touch _anything!_ What part of '_anything'_ don't you understand?"

"I just thought—" Kevin started.

"You thought wrong." Lee continued to glare at Kevin as he sat behind his desk, and turned his computer on.

Kevin decided he should change the subject. Taking up residence behind Lee, he asked, "So, what did Mr. Melrose have to say?"

Lee swore under his breath as he felt Kevin's presence looming over him. Pointing towards Amanda's desk, he ordered, "Just go take a seat over there."

Kevin took a few steps toward the desk. "Man, who pissed in your cheerios this morning?"

"Mark Dobson," he muttered to himself. Glancing up from his task at hand and glaring at the young man, Lee raised his voice, "Just sit your butt down and mind your own business." As he watched Kevin move towards Amanda's desk, he returned his attention back to the computer.

"Pretty nice office we have, Chief," Kevin ignored Lee's orders and decided to check out the vault instead.

"Don't get too used to it," Lee snapped.

"You didn't answer my question about Mr. Melrose," Kevin pointed out as he opened the vault door.

Lee looked up to see Kevin entering the other room. "How in the hell did you do that?"

"Mr. Melrose gave me the combination. I guess he figured you wouldn't." Kevin shrugged his shoulders and continued his investigating.

Lee ignored the smart comment and continued to fight with the computer. "Shit!"

"What is it?" Kevin asked, stepping out from the vault.

"I can't get this damn thing to cooperate! Amanda always did this stuff." Lee slammed his hand down onto the top of the monitor.

Kevin walked to the front of Lee's desk. "I'm pretty good with those things. I took a few classes last semester at college."

Lee looked up and gave the rookie a hard stare before standing up. "Well, college boy, are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to help me?"

"What do you need?" Kevin asked as he quickly took Lee's seat.

"The first thing that I need is for you to remember that 'partner's' are always loyal to each other. Also, I'm the senior agent, and what I say goes." Lee placed his hand on Kevin's shoulder and gave it a good squeeze.

"Yeah?" Kevin looked up to see that Lee's eyes had narrowed, and his face had hardened.

"So, what we do here is between us. Got it!" Lee released his grip on Kevin's shoulder.

Kevin smiled up at Lee. "Got it. So, what do you need me to look up, Chief?"

"Mark Dobson."

"Isn't he one of the head honchos over at I.A.?" Kevin asked nervously. He wasn't sure what to make of the request.

"Yes. Now pull up his file," Lee insisted.

"Okay, okay, hold your horses." Kevin shook his head and began working on the computer. As he did, he began to wonder how Mrs. King had put up with this man for so long. He had only been with the famous Scarecrow for less than an hour, and he was already regretting his request to be his partner. He had met Mrs. King a few times in a couple of Beaman's training classes. He always thought she was a gentle, kind woman; now he _knew_ she had to be a saint. 'I think I can see why she took another job,' he mused to himself. A few minutes later he had found the correct menu, and attempted to pull up Dobson's file.

"Sorry, Chief. No can do." Kevin looked back at Lee.

Lee looked over the rookie's shoulder at the monitor. "Stop calling me CHIEF. The name is either Lee or Scarecrow. Understand? Now, why the hell can't you get into Dobson's files?"

Kevin turned to look at the towering figure. "Sorry, I'll try and remember that." Turning back to the computer monitor, he answered, "It appears his file has a security code Delta Green – 17."

"Damn it!" Lee ran his left hand through his thick hair in frustration.

"I may be able to crack the code, if you give me a day or so. It's going to take me some time with all the security codes I have to break to get into a Delta Green – 17 level."

"Well, don't just sit there. Get started. What are you waiting for? An invitation?" Lee gave Kevin a hard pat on the back.

Kevin glanced at Lee's approving smile and went to work.

Billy sat in his office and stared at the red phone on the desk.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were waiting for that phone to grow legs and walk out of here," Francine laughed as she walked over to Billy's desk.

"I'm waiting on an important call. Do you have everything ready for your trip?" Billy asked, his eyes still on the phone.

Francine held out her ticket for evidence. "Yes, I have my ticket in hand."

Billy pulled his gaze from the phone and stared at Francine. "Good. I want you to report to me every twelve hours. You know how important this is, and how much is at stake."

"Yes, Billy, I know." Francine asked, taking a seat in front of Billy's desk. "So, how is Lee taking all of this?"

Billy raised his eyebrows and leaned back in his leather chair. "How do you think?"

"That good, huh?" Francine gave him a half smile.

"I don't know how long I can keep him occupied. He's really going to sink his teeth in on this one until he gets some answers," Billy groaned.

"Scarecrow always does. I'm surprised you have any walls left in this room with the loop Amanda's thrown him."

"At first, he was livid. Then, he went and talked to Amanda." Billy grimaced at the image in his head of Amanda trying to deal with Lee.

"He went to _see_ Amanda!" Francine's eyes went wide with shock.

"Yep. When he got back here he was irate, but by the time he left, he had calmed down; I mean, really calmed. He was too quiet; way too quiet, if you know what I mean." Billy returned his gaze to the phone.

"Uh oh! It's not good when he gets like that, Billy. What are you going to do with him?" Francine asked as she focused on her boss's distressed face.

"I'm going to have to send him out of state. As soon as this damn phone rings, I'll know exactly where. They found another agent last night?" Billy tone softened with his last comment.

"Who?" Francine asked, her voice barely audible.

"Jack Spencer."

Francine gave Billy a puzzled look. "I don't recognize the name."

"No, you wouldn't. He was one of our deep undercover men. He has been out on assignment for over a year. He only reported to the top; I mean, the _very_ top." Billy pointed to the ceiling to emphasize his words.

"Oh. Do you know why he was targeted?" Francine asked as she played with the ticket in her hand.

Billy gave Francine a weak smile. "Who knows, Francine? The only information that we can get is that there is a partial list of agents to be eliminated. We know that Scarecrow is on that list, we just don't know when, where, or how. I just hope that Amanda has better luck in getting to the bottom of all of this than the rest of us."

"She's taking a big chance, Billy."

"I know, Francine. She's our only hope right now. If she doesn't come up with something soon--" He stood to look out into the bullpen full of agents.

"Amanda will do the best she can. I know I've put her down in the past, but she knows what's truly at stake here." Francine stood and moved to Billy's side.

"As I stand here and look out at _my_ bullpen, I could be looking at our next victim." Billy focused his brown eyes to meet Francine's concerned face.

"I know, Billy. We just have to keep our fingers and toes crossed," she said, trying to reassure him.

"A few prayers wouldn't hurt," Billy sighed as Francine put her arm around his shoulder.

Lee walked back and forth behind Kevin.

Kevin pushed his chair back to block Lee's path. "I could work a lot better if you weren't hovering over me."

"I think better when I pace. You've been working on that thing for over fifteen minutes." Lee glared at the computer screen.

"I told you it would take time. I guess patience is not one of your strong suites is it, chi…Scarecrow," Kevin laughed as he returned his attention to the keyboard.

Lee rolled his eyes and continued his rampage on the defenseless floor. He stopped mid-stride as the phone rang.

"Scarecrow, here," Lee spat out.

"Lee, I have an assignment for you and your new partner," Billy informed him.

"I don't think we can handle anything new right now, Billy. I'm busy introducing Kevin to the wonderful world of the Q-Bureau, remember?" Lee commented sarcastically.

"Oh, I think this would be a perfect opportunity for you to break Kevin in. The Vice President is having a small gathering at The Plaza in New York tomorrow. They have requested that I send my best operative there for extra security," Billy stated firmly.

"Can't you send Francine? She loves those high society things," Lee asked.

"She's already on an assignment. I need you to take care of this for me. It came straight from the top, so no arguments, Scarecrow. I expect you to be on the next flight out."

"When would that be?" Lee retorted.

"I have Debbie working on that as we speak. I'll call you in a few minutes with the details," Billy explained.

"Billy, I don't think—" Lee started to protest.

"Wait just a minute, here comes Debbie now." Billy motioned for the young agent to enter his office. "What did you find out, Debbie?" he asked.

Debbie started to reply, but was interrupted as Rag Mop entered the office behind her.

"Sorry, but I need to clean up in here, Mr. Melrose," Rag Mop informed the section chief.

"Go ahead, Rag Mop," Billy said, giving him a brief smile, then returned his attention back to the young woman. "You were saying, Debbie."

"They had several openings on the five o'clock flight to New York, Sir. I couldn't book them any earlier. Apparently, the noon and one o'clock shuttles were cancelled. That caused the two o'clock and three o'clock shuttles to be over-booked. Five o'clock was the best I could do," she explained

"Don't worry, the five o'clock will be fine. That'll give them plenty of time to pack and make the flight."

Debbie smiled at Billy. "I also received a package from Dr. Smyth about their assignment status for the Vice President and their accommodations."

"Great. Take them up to the Q-Bureau and give them to Lee." Billy placed the receiver back to his ear. "You two have a five o'clock flight. I'm sending Debbie up now with your case file. I expect you two to go home and pack right after she give it to you," he informed Lee.

"I still don't like the idea," Lee reiterated.

"I don't care. These are your orders, Scarecrow," Billy stated strongly.

"Yes, Sir," Lee mockingly replied, and hung up the phone.

"So what's the scoop, Chief?" Kevin looked to see Lee's annoyed face. "Oops! Sorry, I mean, Lee."

"We have been given the honor of baby-sitting the Vice President," Lee huffed.

"Really! Man that's cool. When do we leave?" Kevin smiled brightly.

Lee looked at Kevin with disgust. "Our flight leaves at five."

"I know you had other ideas in mind, but doesn't I.A. have a headquarters up there too?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah, you're right. They do. Maybe we can kill two birds with one stone," Lee replied. His angry features began to soften as a grin slowly spread across his face.

"I can still do what you want on the computer once we get there. I'm sure we can tap into I.A from the Agency office in New York," Kevin added as he noticed Lee's look of approval.

"Good! Just remember to keep this little tidbit between you and me, and we should be just fine." Lee glanced at Kevin as a knock came to the door.

"Sure thing." Kevin stood to leave the office.

"Lee, I have your case file," Debbie said as she quietly stepped into the office.

"Thanks, Debbie." Lee took the file she offered.

"You must hate having to leave again so soon after you returned." Debbie looked up at Lee through her thick eyelashes.

"Yeah, I do, but duty calls." Lee gave her a quick smile before taking a seat at Amanda's desk. He then proceeded to open the file.

"Aren't you going to introduce me?" Kevin asked as he walked up to Debbie.

"Hmm…sorry. Debbie Collins, this is Kevin Miles. Kevin, this is Debbie." Lee kept his attention on the file in hand as he introduced them.

Kevin extended his hand to Debbie. "Nice to meet you."

"Same here." Debbie gave his hand a quick shake and returned her attentions to Lee. "So, Lee. We never did get that drink you promised," she said, taking a seat on Amanda's desk.

"Hmmm…What did you say? " Lee looked up from the file.

"I said, we still haven't gone to get that drink you promised me over six months ago." Debbie cooed as she ran her hand over her exposed leg.

"Sorry, about that. Slipped my mind. I've just been really busy. Maybe, I'll catch you when I get back." Lee gave her a quick glance and returned to the file in hand.

"Promise?" Debbie sulked.

"Yeah, I guess so," Lee mumbled.

Debbie gave Kevin a sultry smile and left the office.

"Wow! Did you see the way she flung herself at you?" Kevin stood wide-eyed.

"What?" Lee looked up at the rookie before him.

"That was one hot woman! I can't believe you just blew her off like that." Kevin gave Lee a gleaming smile.

Lee looked towards the door. "Yeah, she's all right."

"All right! Are you _blind_? If I had that offered to me on a silver platter, I wouldn't hesitate to get the silverware out." Kevin gave Lee a hard smack on the back.

"I'm sure you wouldn't." Lee gave Kevin an angry stare.

"So, are you ready to head out into the wild blue yonder," Kevin asked as he headed to the door.

Handing Kevin the packet, Lee said, "I'll pick you up at four o'clock. Here's our flight reservation information. We'll pick up the tickets when we get there."

"Do you know where I live?" Kevin asked.

"I do this shit for a living. I'm sure I can find out." Lee griped.

"Whatever! See you then." Kevin took the packet and exited the office.

Lee looked towards the door where his new 'partner' had exited. He let out a loud sigh. 'I just hope I can keep from killing the arrogant little S.O.B. before we get there.'

He took a seat behind his desk. "All right, you piece of crap, let's see if I can pull up all of my little friend's haunts and habits. I don't want to go out into the field with him until I know a few facts," Lee grumbled at the defenseless computer.

To Be Continued….


	3. Part 3

See Part 1 for Disclaimers, Notes, etc.

Chapter 5

Amanda looked at the huge entranceway of the Ritz-Carlton. "This is quite extravagant for two government employee's," she mentioned as she followed Mark to the registration desk.

"I come here all the time. Like I told you before, I have a few friends at the top." Mark stopped and took Amanda's hand.

'I'll say you do,' she thought, giving him her best smile.

Mark looked down into her shining brown eyes. "I have another little surprise in store for you."

"What more could you possible surprise me with?" Amanda continued to look at the extravagance surrounding her, trying to avoid his gaze.

"The Vice-President is having a small gathering tomorrow night and we've been invited to join in the festivities." Mark brushed a stray curl from her shoulder.

"The Vice-President?" Amanda asked, inwardly cringing at this touch.

"Yep. I hope you brought a spectacular gown," Mark laughed.

Amanda returned his laughter. "I've learned from experience, and try to always be prepared."

"You wait here while I check us in." Mark gave her hand one last squeeze before heading over to the registry desk.

Amanda looked around the huge room for a telephone. She desperately wanted to call Billy. She was very uncomfortable with the fact that she was alone on this one. She spotted a phone on one of the coffee tables near the entrance. She looked over at Mark to see that he was pre-occupied with the desk clerk and made her way to the phone.

Amanda began to dial the familiar number.

"May I help you with something?" A deep, hardened voice asked from behind her.

Amanda quickly dropped the receiver back to the phone at the sound of the voice. She turned to face a tall dark skinned man in his mid-forties. "No, I was just trying to call home and check on my family."

"The phones in the lobby haven't been working properly. Perhaps the one in your room will work better, " he stated as he hovered over her.

"Perhaps you're right." Amanda looked up into the man's dark gray eyes. "Do I know you?"

"I don't think so," he replied.

Studying his features, she stated, "You sure do look familiar."

"I have that affect on a lot of people." He continued to stand only inches from her body.

"I guess I'd better go." Amanda looked over to see the desk attendant handing Mark their keys.

His voice became hauntingly deep. "Perhaps we'll meet again."

"Perhaps." Amanda gave him a quick smile and retreated to Mark.

"Here you go. We're on the tenth floor." Mark handed Amanda her key.

"Mark, do you know that man over there?" She turned to point to where she had just been.

"What man?" Mark asked, following the direction of her finger.

Amanda's dark eyebrows furrowed together. "He was there just a minute ago."

"Probably just some businessman trying to gain the company of a pretty lady." Mark took possession of her hand and headed to the elevator.

"Hmm...I guess," Amanda replied as she followed him.

Lee gave Kevin's apartment door a hard knock, and stood back waiting for the young man to answer.

"Are you a friend of Kevin's?" Lee turned his head to look at the red head addressing him.

Lee gave her a brief smile. "I guess you could say that."

Kevin opened the door. "Hey, Lee."

"Ready?" Lee asked as the young woman began looking him up and down.

Kevin held the door open for him. "Just about. Want to come in?"

"Might as well," Lee replied, and entered the apartment.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" The young woman followed Lee.

"Sorry, Lou. This is Lee Stetson. Lee this is Lou Farewell." Kevin gave Lee a mischievous smile, then headed for his bedroom.

"I haven't seen you at any of Kevin's parties. Are you new in town?" Lou asked as she approached Lee.

"No," Lee replied. He was beginning to become very uncomfortable with the woman's growing closeness.

"Not much of a talker, are you?" Lou asked, inching closer to Lee.

"No." Lee glanced around the disheveled apartment. It looked like your basic bachelor pad; the bar was stocked full, the living room full of discarded takeout containers, and a variety of dirty clothes littered the floor. He shook his head in disgust as he felt Lou's hand touch his chest.

"You and Kevin going on a trip?" Lou asked, playing with Lee's lapel.

"Yes. Are you ready yet, Kevin?" Lee stepped away from the woman. He wasn't in the mood to deal with this touchy feely woman at the moment.

"Just changing my clothes. I want to look my best ya' know! Why don't you get yourself something to drink out of the fridge?" Kevin yelled.

Lee left Lou in the living room and proceeded into the small kitchen. He opened the refrigerator door to find it full of beer and a jug of spoiled milk.

"Don't you ever go to the store?" Lee yelled into the other room.

"Sure, but I tend to eat out more than I do in." Kevin walked from the bedroom dressed in a new suit.

"Don't you look all spiffy," Lou remarked as she straightened his tie.

"You think so, Lou? I thought maybe it made me look too stuffy." Kevin flashed Lee a wide grin.

Lou gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Not at all!"

"I guess I'm ready." Kevin pulled away from her clutches and entered his kitchen.

"Good. Let's get the hell out of here." Lee slammed the refrigerator door closed.

"Do you two have to rush off? I'm off all day with nothing to do." Lou pouted, as she leaned against the kitchen doorway.

Kevin gave her a quick peck on the lips, then went to retrieve his luggage. "Duty calls, my dear."

"Don't be a stranger, Lee." Lou gave him her best seductive look and sauntered out of the apartment.

"What do you think of her?" Kevin asked as he flopped down on his couch.

"Who?" Lee decided to play innocent.

Kevin laughed. "Lou. She's SINGLE you know."

Lee looked to the flashing light of the answering machine. "Don't you ever check your messages?"

"Same 'ole, same 'ole--just a bunch of lonely women." Kevin shrugged as he stood to place his luggage in the hall.

"It might be something important; like a phone call from Billy, or _me_ for that matter," Lee remarked, pushing the play button.

Kevin continued his task as Lee listened. Four different women had called, all wanting to know when they would hear from Mr. Wonderful again. Lee shook his head and followed Kevin into the hallway.

"You know what it's like, Lee. Once they get a taste of you, they always want to come back for seconds." Kevin closed his door and locked it.

Lee only nodded. 'That line sounds way too familiar,' he thought as he followed Kevin out to the car.

Mark waited patiently as the bellhop finished carrying in Amanda's luggage. He handed the man a bill and closed the door behind him. Amanda looked out her bedroom window at the busy streets below. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry to go somewhere: a job, school, shopping, or home to a loved one. She sighed at the thought. The man she loved was far away from her in D.C. The look of betrayal in his eyes still sent shivers down her spine. She would probably never have a home to go to with him waiting for her. He would never forgive her for her deceit.

"Amanda, are you all right?" Mark walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Yes. I was just watching all the commotion below. D.C. is a busy place, but nothing compared to this." Amanda turned in his embrace and smiled up at him.

"It is a little breathtaking, isn't it." Mark glanced at his watch. "It's really too late for us to head to I.A. today. How about I treat you to dinner and dancing tonight?" he asked, continuing his tight embrace around her waist.

"Sounds wonderful. I could use a little time to freshen up and unpack before we start work tomorrow." Amanda continued her happy farce.

"Sounds good to me. I have to run a few errands and change clothes myself. How about I pick you up at seven o'clock? That would give you four hours to rest and get ready for this evening."

Amanda nodded her agreement.

"I look forward to seeing you tonight, then." Mark leaned down and tasted her lips.

"Me too, Mark." Amanda whispered as he released her.

Amanda watched as the long-limbed man left her room. She headed for the phone as soon as she heard the door click. 'All right, Amanda, who do you call? Think, Amanda. Think. This phone may not be a clean line, so I need to take a round about way to call Billy. I've got it!' Amanda thought as she grabbed her purse and retrieved her address book. Locating the correct number, she picked up the phone and dialed.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Uncle Rupert. It's your niece, Amanda."

"Where have you been young lady? I've missed our little outings. You still haven't taken me out on the town for a night of dancing, dear niece," Rupert laughed.

"Mind your manner's, Uncle Rupert. I've been really busy."

"Oh! I see, dear. How is your job going these days?"

"Very busy, Uncle Rupert. That is one of the reasons I'm calling you."

"Is there anyway I can help you out?"

"Yes. Will you call Uncle Billy for me? His line must be really hot today because I can't get though. I have a busy evening ahead, and I won't be able to call him."

"Sure. What do you want me to tell him?"

"Tell him that I made it just fine to New York, and that I'm staying at the Ritz-Carlton; that I'm excited about meeting the Vice President at tomorrow night's gathering, and I wish he was here."

"I'm sure he is worried about you. I'll deliver the message personally."

"Thanks, Uncle Rupert. I'll be talking to you soon."

"Goodbye, Amanda. You be sure to save me a dance."

"I will. Goodbye." Amanda hung the phone up with a sigh of relief. At least now, Billy would know where she was. She grabbed her overnight bag and went to the bathroom; she desperately needed to soak away some of the anxiety from her body.

Lee and Kevin walked into the lobby of the Holiday Inn.

"Nice place. Come here often?" Kevin asked as he looked around the dimly lit lobby.

"It'll do us for the short time we're here." Lee gave Kevin a sharp look and headed for the reservation desk.

"I suppose it will," Kevin mumbled as he followed Lee.

"Reservations for Stemple and Milts," Lee told the clerk.

Kevin raised his blonde eyebrow at the simple alteration of their names. Lee shrugged his shoulders at his companion and took the keys from the desk clerk.

"I suppose we should get settled and head over to The Plaza to check on the Vice President's arrangements," Kevin stated as they entered the elevator.

Lee smiled at Kevin. "I want to run by our Agency located here to see if you can have better luck on their computer."

"Sure thing, Lee. After that, do you care if we grab a bite to eat? I'm starved!" Kevin exclaimed as the elevator doors opened and they exited into the hall.

"Sure, whatever. First things first, though." Lee opened the door to his room and carried his luggage in.

"See ya' in a few, Scarecrow." Kevin closed the door to his room and fell back against it. "I'm not so sure that I sold my soul for the right partner." He sighed into the empty room.

Billy exited the elevator into the Agency lobby to be greeted by a familiar old face.

"Hey, Billy. Got a minute?"

Billy smiled at the retired agent. "Hey, Rupert. I'm sorry I can't talk right now. I'm on my way to a big meeting."

Rupert pointed his finger at Billy. "Now, William, I need to speak to you about your children's manners. I have an important message for you from my favorite niece."

"Let's go up to Lee's office and have a talk." Billy headed for the stairs and motioned for Rupert to follow.

"So, who is the message from, and what is it?" Billy asked as he closed the door behind them.

"Is it safe to talk in here?" Rupert looked skeptically around the office.

"I had it swept after Lee and Kevin left this morning," Billy assured him.

"Kevin. Who is that?" Rupert shook his head as he looked at the dying plants in the window.

"Lee's new partner." Billy stated as he moved in front of Rupert.

"What about Amanda?" Rupert tilted his head and asked.

"I really can't get into that right now, Rupert. What did you want to tell me?" Billy patience began to wear thin.

"Amanda called me and wanted me to inform you that she made it to New York safely. She also said she was staying at the Ritz-Carlton." Rupert took a seat behind Amanda's desk.

"New York! Damn it! Why in the hell is she there!" Billy threw his hands up in the air.

Rupert put his hand over his right ear. "You don't have to shout, Billy. I may be old but I can still hear."

"I'm sorry, Rupert. She was supposed to be in Atlanta." Billy placed his hands flat on Amanda's desk and looked at Rupert for answers.

"That could've been why she was so nervous. She said she figured your phones were 'hot;' that's why she wanted me to contact you. She also said she wished you were there with her." Rupert's face carried hints of worry.

"Damn it! I sent Francine to Atlanta. She's there without any backup." Billy reached for Lee's phone to make a few calls.

Rupert's eyes followed Billy's actions. "Are you sure that line is safe?"

"You're right. I guess I'd better use the payphone around the corner. If Amanda was worried about the phones, something may be up that I'm unaware of--seems that's happening a lot. Did she tell you anything else?" Billy returned to stand before Rupert.

"She said to tell you that she was excited about attending the Vice-President's shindig tomorrow night." Rupert scratched his head trying to make sure he remembered it all.

"Well, if that doesn't take the cake, I don't know what would!" Billy continued with his loud tone of voice.

"What's wrong, son?" Rupert asked as he took note that Amanda's personal touches no longer existed in the office.

Billy threw his hands in the air, once again. "I _would_ have to pick the same damn place for Lee to go."

Rupert gave Billy a questioning look. "I don't understand what you're talking about?"

"I sent Lee to cover the Vice-President's social tomorrow night! He doesn't need to be within a hundred mile radius of Amanda!" Billy placed his hands behind his back, and began the Lee Stetson ritual of pacing.

"Is she working on something that he shouldn't be aware of?" Rupert eyes followed Billy's movement.

Billy turned his tired eyes toward him. "Yeah, you could say that. It's pretty much a 'need to know' type of thing, Rupert. Sorry."

"I know how it goes in this business, young man. I just worry about that sweet thing out there all by herself. I always liked the idea of that big nephew of mine being her shadow." Rupert stood up from behind Amanda's desk then walked over to the window.

"I understand, Rupert, I really do. It is just that in this particular situation, she is the ONLY one we could use," Billy emphasized.

"I need to go make that phone call," Billy told Rupert as he headed for the door.

"You let me know if I can help my niece, Billy. You know, sometimes in an ocean full of sharks, an old fisherman can do more good than a hundred beginners." Rupert followed him.

"Thanks, Rupert. I will keep that in mind. Just remember that this conversation never happened." Billy turned to face the man behind him.

Rupert narrowed his eyes at Billy. "If you can remember, I'm pretty damn good at keeping a secret."

"I do remember. I'll be in touch with you if anything comes up, and you do the same." Billy extended his hand for Rupert to shake.

Rupert accepted his hand and firmly gripped it. "Don't worry, Billy. I'll be in touch."

Lee watched Kevin quickly strike the keys of the computer. They had been in the New York office for more than two hours without any luck in opening Dobson's file.

Kevin heard Lee's heavy sigh; he looked back to see his flustered partner. "I don't think I can crack this code in just a few hours. Somebody has got a major network of detours in this program."

"Keep trying," Lee insisted.

"Sure." Kevin lowered his eyes back to the screen.

"Any luck on that security stuff, Lee?" Stan Phillips gave Lee a pat on the back.

"No, not yet. I appreciate you letting us steal your desk for a while." Lee smiled at his long time friend.

"Not a problem. I was sick of dealing with that stack of paperwork anyway." Stan pointed at the stack of files that started at floor level and ended with the top of his desk.

"Damn, Stan. How far are you behind on your stuff?" Lee laughed.

"Actually, only a week or so. I'm not lucky to have that beautiful partner of yours to keep up with my paperwork. Where is she anyway? I like having her smiling face to concentrate on, instead of your ugly mug." Stan winked at Lee.

"Is he talking about Amanda?" Kevin glanced back at Lee.

"Amanda is working with I.A. on a few things at the moment." Lee looked at Kevin with a 'I dare you to say anything' look.

Stan noticed the sharp glance that passed from Lee to Kevin; he decided to shift the topic off of Amanda. "They want everything in triplicate around here. I don't suppose you have that problem since the I.A. offices in D.C. are in a separate building across town. They live in the basement of this building. I feel like they are the living dead just waiting to dig through the floor and pull us under." Stan grimaced at the thought.

"Nope. Luckily, we only see the little monsters every month or so." Lee gave his friend a pat on the back.

"You want to go grab a quick drink?" Stan asked.

Lee shook his head. "Wish we could, but we've got to head over to The Plaza to check on security for the V. P.'s visit."

"I thought we were handling that?" Stan asked.

"I'm just extra, Stan. I think it was more of a last minute thought, rather than an actual assignment," Lee seethed.

Stan noticed the implication in Lee's words. "Billy wants you out of the picture for a while, huh."

Lee nodded. "Yep. I think that pretty much sums it up."

"I didn't really think that they could fit another suit in that ballroom. Several of Internal Affair's big wigs are attending, in addition to the upper crust of society." Stan rolled his eyes.

"I've got it!" Kevin shouted.

"What?" Lee looked immediately to the screen.

"Shit! It's gone." Kevin began to frantically type on the keyboard to regain the screen.

"What did you have?" Lee balled his fists and rested them beside Kevin on the desk.

"What we were looking for, Lee," Kevin mumbled, unsure of how open to be.

"It was on the screen and then disappeared." Lee narrowed his eyes at the monitor.

"Somebody knows we're snooping." Kevin looked at Lee wide-eyed.

"Apparently. I guess we'd better head over to The Plaza now, Kevin." Lee stood to shake Stan's hand.

"Sorry we couldn't be more help, Lee." Stan firmly shook Lee's hand.

Lee smiled at Stan "Just remember that you never saw us here."

"'Who' was here?" Stan winked at Lee.

"I appreciate the discreet use of your establishment." Lee patted his friend on the arm as he walked by.

"Let me know if I can be of further help you. Since my partner, Marty, retired I'm usually here." Stan waved as he watched the two men exit the office.

Lee and Kevin walked to the car in utter silence. Once inside, Kevin let his thoughts fly. "So what do you think that was all about? I mean, I was on one split second, and then the next—poof! It was gone. I don't get--"

"Kevin, if you would just shut up a minute and let me think…" Lee cranked the car and headed out of the parking lot.

"Okay, okay." Kevin looked over at the man in the driver's seat. "Do you think we can eat while you think?"

"Yeah." Lee remained silent for the remainder of the ride. He weaved the rental car expertly through the heavy downtown traffic, as his mind thought only of what Amanda had gotten herself into.

The shadows of the clouds passed over the man looking at his observation monitors. She was such a lovely woman--too bad she had become a pawn in this game of life.

"Sir, we have confirmation from our D.C. contact of Scarecrow's arrival in New York," a shaky voice announced.

"Hmm…" The man in the leather chair swiveled around to meet his worker bee's eyes.

"What should I do?" The man looked to the floor, not wanting to look into the steely gray eyes of his superior.

"Nothing." He glanced at the man before him and turned his chair back to the monitor.

He dared question his superior. "Nothing, Sir?"

His deep, dark voice spoke calmly. "It's not Scarecrow's time. I have special plans for our little garden guarder. Continue as planned with our next project. I expect a report within the hour." He waved the nervous man away.

Chapter 6

Amanda sipped her wine as she studied the man across the table. On the outside he seemed the typical middle-aged American male, but her instincts told her he was a dangerous man and to tread lightly around him. "This is a beautiful establishment." Amanda smiled sweetly at Mark.

Mark took her free hand in his. "Not as beautiful as the woman I'm dining with."

"Thank you." Amanda blushed as she placed her goblet back on the table.

"Where would you like to go dancing?" Mark asked, never taking his eyes from her lovely face.

"I'm not familiar with New York. You'll have to pick the spot." Amanda looked up at him through her eyelashes.

"I thought that you and Stetson had been here on several assignments?" Mark questioned with a glint of anger in his eyes.

"We've been here on assignments before, but never for pleasure." Amanda gave his hand a light squeeze to reassure him.

"I see. It doesn't sound like the Stetson I know to be all business and no play." Mark searched her eyes for answers.

"Mark, I've told you before--Lee and I were only partners. He had his personal lifestyle, and I have mine." She smiled sincerely at him in hopes of defusing any ideas of the real relationship they had shared. Amanda's body trembled slightly of the thoughts that drifted to her mind. 'They _had_ shared…it was hard to think of herself and Lee in the past tense.'

Mark studied her closely, but found no hint of loss for her partner. He gave her a renewed smile and continued their conversation of the city.

Lee calmly walked out of the main hall and exited the building.

"Boy, these New York agents sure are protective about their territory," Kevin said as he caught up to Lee.

"Yeah," Lee replied as he continued to his car.

"So what do we do now?" Kevin asked as he tried to keep up with Lee's quick pace.

"We go back to the hotel. I'll call Billy and tell him that this is a bullshit assignment. We get some sleep and head the hell home in the morning," Lee grumbled as he continued his way to the car.

"So it doesn't piss you off that they don't want us to help with the security plans?" Kevin pulled his coat tighter against the cold chill.

"I didn't think that they would." Lee shrugged his shoulders and pulled his keys from his pocket.

"So that means—" Kevin's voice trailed off.

Lee gave Kevin a quick glance as he began to unlock the car. "What is it, Kevin?"

Kevin nodded toward the entry of The Marriott across the street. Lee's eyes followed his lead and found the reason for Kevin's silence. A beautiful woman leaned her head against Dobson's broad shoulder as they exited the hotel. Her soft laughter was carried through the night air to Lee's ears. He flinched at the sound; his eyes narrowed as he watched the couple.

Kevin stepped closer to his partner. "Maybe we should go."

Lee remained still as he watched the two approach their waiting limo. His blood began to boil as she pressed her soft lips to those of the man she now accompanied.

Amanda felt a familiar presence as she started to take her seat in the limo. She glanced around the parking area; her eyes fell upon the shadow of the man that her heart belonged to. She warmed slightly at the thought that it could possibly be him; that he had discovered the truth behind her hurtful words; that he was here now to hold her and tell her of his love. The warmth in her body dispersed as quickly as it came. She watched the tall figure open his car door and leave.

"Are you all right?" Mark placed his hand on her waist.

"Yes, Mark. I was just admiring the building across the street. It will be lovely to spend the evening there tomorrow." Amanda smiled as she entered the limo. 'Lee was there in New York. Things were going to get a lot worse before they got better.' Not wanting to look at Mark, she kept her eyes focused on the views outside.

As they drove down the crowded city streets, Amanda watched the glimmering Christmas decorations that adorned most of the department store windows. As they passed by Rockefeller Center, she sighed. How she wished that she could be sharing a romantic evening with Lee, ice skating and sharing the sights of New York together. Blinking back tears, she resigned herself to the knowledge that she was here on a mission, and thoughts like that wouldn't help her. Reluctantly, she pulled her attention from the passing city lights, and back to her date for the evening.

Lee entered the hotel lobby, intent on going to his room and sorting out the recent events.

"Mr. Stimpson, you received several messages while you were gone," the desk clerk announced as he saw Lee enter the hotel doors.

Lee took the hand full of notes and headed to the elevators.

"Who are they from?" Kevin asked as he pushed the button for their floor.

"Billy," Lee stated as he thought of what his next move would be.

"What does he want?" Kevin probed further.

"For me to call him."

"Wonder what he wants?" Kevin stepped out of the elevator and proceeded to their rooms.

"I wonder," Lee said sarcastically as he unlocked his hotel door.

Kevin closed the door behind him and leaned against it. "Aren't you going to call him?"

"Nope." Lee tossed the notes into trashcan.

"Don't you think we should check in?" Kevin watched Lee pick up his duffle bag and head for the bathroom.

"Nope." Lee closed the door behind him.

Kevin sat on the bed and waited for Lee to return.

"What are you still doing here?" Lee asked as he picked up the remote to the television.

"I didn't know what you had planned." Kevin watched the television as Lee flipped through the channels.

"I plan on watching this damn television until my eyelids can't stand it anymore. Then, I'm crawling into that bed and going to sleep," Lee informed him.

Kevin continued his questioning. "So, why don't you call Mr. Melrose?"

"He just wants us to come home." Lee continued to flip channels.

"Don't you think that we should go? I mean, we didn't exactly receive a 'welcome to the party' greeting tonight at The Plaza. I don't think they want our help." Kevin continued to watch his partner's emotionless face.

Lee turned his eyes to meet Kevin's. "Remember what I said about partners?"

Kevin nodded. "Yeah."

"I have my reasons. I want to stick around another day and see what we can dig up. I suggest you go to your room and get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day." Lee returned his eyes back to the television.

"All right. However, I'm making a formal statement, here and now, that I don't like this, but since I'm your partner, I have to go along with it." Kevin shoved his hands in his pockets and crossed the room to the door.

Kevin stopped with his hand on the doorknob, and turned back to look at Lee. "Lee, if you need to talk about what we saw earlier, we could go out and grab a beer."

"Goodnight, Kevin." Lee continued to concentrate on the television.

"Goodnight then." Kevin left Lee alone.

Lee listened for the door to click shut. His eyes glazed over with anger, as the image of Amanda accepting Dobson's affections flashed before his eyes. The remote caught the brunt of Lee's anger as he threw it against the wall. 'What _are_ you doing, Amanda?' Lee mumbled as he jerked the covers back on his bed; he fell into a fitful sleep.

Mark leaned against the wall while Amanda unlocked the door to her suite.

"Would you like to join me for a nightcap?" Amanda quietly asked as he held the door open for her.

Mark stroked her soft hair. "I'm sorry. I would love to join you for a 'night cap,' but I have several business associates that I must meet."

"Perhaps another time then." Amanda placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Mark titled her head up to see her shimmering brown eyes. "Definitely. I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes." Amanda touched her lips to his. Mark became more demanding as he held her head with his hands. She felt his tongue demanding entrance, so she parted her lips.

Mark pulled away breathless. "Goodnight, Amanda." He closed the door behind him.

"Not quite," Amanda whispered as she waited for Mark to leave for his destination.

Billy checked his watch, for what seemed like the hundredth time, over the past hour. He hadn't heard another word from Amanda, and now he was faced with the fact that Lee was in the same city.

"God, could it get any worse," Billy mumbled as he looked up to see Dr. Smyth entering his office.

"Good evening, Billy. Heard anything from our kiddies?" Smyth leaned against the now closed door.

"It just got worse," Billy mumbled as he looked at the emotionless man standing in front of him.

"What was that, Billy?" Smyth rolled his cigarette holder in his fingers.

Billy did not turn away from the man's penetrating gaze. "Nothing, Sir. I've not heard from Amanda since my last report to you."

"Have you sent Desmond there?" Smyth released the smoke from his mouth and watched it float to the ceiling.

"Yes, Sir. She's due to arrive in New York on the midnight flight," Billy remained calm.

"Will she be able to keep a look out for our dear, Scarecrow?" Smyth walked to the coach and admired the picture behind it. "We can't have him interfering should he run into Mrs. King, Billy."

"I'm hoping Francine can keep tabs on him and hopefully get him on the next flight back here." Billy replied, "If nothing else, I'm hoping security detail will keep him well occupied."

"I expect you to keep me up-to-date. No playing favorites on this one, Melrose. Everyone is expendable on this assignment, as long as we reach our goal." Smyth turned and left the office.

Debbie entered the office as Dr. Smyth left. "Mr. Melrose, I have a confirmation from

Francine Desmond that she is aboard Flight 790, and should be arriving on schedule."

"Great! At least I have that one bit of information to be happy about." Billy gave her a small smile. "Go on home. You've been a great help to me today."

Billy watched the young lady leave. He sipped his tenth cup of coffee for the evening, as he looked out into his now empty bullpen. His eyes remained distant; he thought of the situation he had placed one of his best agents in. When he and Smyth had met with her in this very room, only three weeks before, she had not questioned the assignment. Her only concern had been that of Lee's safety.

He shook his head slightly and returned to his desk. His eyes fell upon the chair that Amanda had sat in many times over the past three years. He thought of how many times, in this very office, Scarecrow had tried to squirm his way out of working with Amanda during her first year at the Agency. He knew Lee's resistance to working with her was a direct result of his fear of letting anyone, especially this housewife from Arlington, get too close to him. He watched, as Scarecrow, the agent, removed the bricks, one-by-one, that formed his protective walls, and saw more of Lee, the man, emerge. He sighed as he realized that, as section chief, he was faced with the fact that he and Smyth may have placed quite a few bricks back into those walls. Hopefully, when this was all over, things would work out fine, and Amanda would be able to repair the damage done.

Billy left his office chair and walked out into the silent bullpen. His heart ached with the thought that he could possibly lose Amanda to the demons of the world; but would he lose Lee, too? He moved slowly through the bullpen, taking note of each employee's desk. He stopped by Frank's desk when he saw a birthday card Amanda had given him. His next stop was Don's desk, where a small basket of homemade fudge sat uncovered. He picked up a piece and tasted the sweet chocolate. Amanda had brought in enough for the entire bullpen the day that she had been assigned the new case. She always made sure that she brought some type of sunshine to each person's life. Billy was sure of one thing: if everything didn't turn out okay, the bright cloud that followed Amanda King around would be gone forever.

"Damn!" Billy shouted as his fist impacted with the desk below.

Amanda stood silently, looking out the peephole in her hotel door. 'What is he doing in there?' Amanda wondered, while she waited for him to leave.

Mark closed his door and quickly glanced up and down the hall. He stopped momentarily, as he gazed at Amanda's door. A small smile crossed his lips, as he mockingly bowed towards Amanda's door; he then continued his way down the hall. The tune of 'Off to see the Wizard' whistled through his pursed lips as he entered the waiting elevator.

Amanda peered down the hall to see the elevator doors close. Her eyes focused on the descending numbers of the elevator lights. She ran to the nearest exit then, proceeded to take the steps to the main floor.

Catching her breath, she watched as Mark entered his waiting limo. As soon as he was inside, and safely out of view, she hailed a cab.

"Follow that limo," she demanded as she entered the taxi.

"What?" The driver turned in his seat to look at his new passenger.

"I said, follow that limo. He's getting away. Step on it," Amanda ordered exasperatedly.

"Sure thing, Toots." The driver immediately took off throwing Amanda back against the seat. She fumbled with her seat belt as the experienced cabby maneuvered through the bustling downtown streets.

"Hey, Lady. They're right in front of us. Do you want me to pull along side?" The cabby asked as he kept his eyes on the road.

"NO! Just keep up with them. When they stop, pull ahead a block or so, and let me out." Amanda swallowed the fear that was beginning to creep up in her body.

"Is that your hubby in there? I get that a lot. The wife trying to catch the cheating husband in the 'act'!" The cabby laughed.

"Yeah, something, like that." Amanda replied. She continued to fight the nervousness of being alone on this assignment. 'I'm doing this for Lee and all the agents that are on that list,' she kept repeating to herself, over and over, until the cabby came to a stop.

"Where are we?" Amanda asked as she unbuckled her seat belt and looked out the back of the cab. Mark was exiting his limo, and entering a well lit building that sported a hot pink sign with the name 'Mothers' on the outside.

The cabby turned to look at the bewildered Amanda. "Some place a pretty young thing like you shouldn't be. It's called the 'meat district'. Your old man is going in there to have a little fun with some wild women. Are you sure you want me to leave you here?"

"No! Don't leave--just keep the meter running; I'll be back soon!" Amanda mustered a small smile as she exited the cab.

"Hey, Lady. You're not going to run off and not pay me, are you?"

Amanda reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill. It was part of the emergency money Billy had given her. She shrugged her shoulders as she handed it to the man. In her eyes, this was an emergency. "Thanks, Lady." The cabby smiled widely, showing his missing front teeth.

"Yeah. Just remember to wait here and there will be more for you." Amanda closed the door and pulled her coat closer to her face.

Mark looked at the exotic women on stage as he made his way to the back of the bar. "I like your choice of meeting places," he smiled as he joined his contact at the table.

"Were you followed?" The gruff voice asked as he scanned the bar.

"I'm a professional. Of course, I wasn't followed." Mark waved for the waitress to come to the table.

"You'd better lose that cocky attitude of yours. Scarecrow is in town and I don't want any mistakes this close to our ultimate goal. Understand?"

"I can handle Scarecrow. He's so devastated over 'his little brunette' leaving him for me, that he doesn't know his head from a hole in the ground," Mark boasted as he ordered himself a shot of vodka.

The man narrowed his threatening eyes at his arrogant employee. "Do not underestimate him."

Amanda quickly spotted Mark in the shadows of the bar. She needed to get closer to hear what was going on. "Where in the hell have you been?" The large bouncer came to her side.

"Me?" Amanda turned a questioning look to him.

"Yeah, you. You were supposed to be here over an hour ago." He put his bulky arm around her middle.

"I don't think you have the right person," Amanda gasped as he gave her waist a tight squeeze.

"Ah, stop your teasing, missy. Why else would a beautiful brunette be in a dump like this?"

"I don't think you understand," Amanda pleaded.

"Look, Skip isn't real happy that you're late, but at least you're as good looking as we had hoped. I'll tell him you're here, Bunny. The guys are going to go crazy when they see you," he laughed as he gave her a shove towards the dressing room.

To Be Continued….


	4. Part 4

See Part 1 for Disclaimer, Notes, etc.

Chapter 7

Amanda looked around at the women preparing for work in the small dressing room. Most of the employees were exotic dancers dressed in a fashion that left little or nothing to the imagination.

"Are you the new girl Hank sent over from the Pink Elephant?" a petite woman with a high-pitched voice asked.

"I…" Amanda started.

"Of course you are? Bunny, isn't it!"

"Yeah." Amanda looked down at the woman.

"I told Hank that I would give you a test run as a waitress and see how my clientele liked you, but you _are_ quite pretty. His 'beautiful' and my 'beautiful' sometimes have different meanings," she laughingly told Amanda.

"I would love to start out as a waitress." Amanda felt a wave of relief knowing her new job duties.

"I wouldn't mind giving you a swing at the dance floor--you meet my expectations quite well. The tips are a lot better than you would get from serving a bunch of drunk, horny men," the woman babbled as she looked Amanda's figure up and down.

"Really, the waitress position would be a good place to get my feet wet." Amanda forced a smile to her lips.

"Suit yourself. I have a few rules for my waitresses. One, you don't get overly friendly with your customers— that's what the dancer's are for. Two, if you have a problem with one of them being overly aggressive, you find a bouncer and let him take care of it. Three, you don't drink while you work. Do you understand?"

Amanda nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good. You should change out of your evening clothes, since you don't want to flaunt yourself just yet. Over there are some waitress uniforms. I expect you can find one that fits you until I can order a new one for you." She turned and left Amanda to change for her new duties.

Rupert gingerly walked into the establishment, determined to find his wayward niece. She had been difficult to follow from her hotel, but his driving skills were still top notch. His dimming eyes squinted through the smoke to rest upon her figure exiting a room from the back. She was dressed in a cocktail dress that left very little covered. He shook his head and headed for the back of the bar. He wanted to keep an eye on her, but at the same time, he didn't want her to know he was there.

Amanda tugged at her short skirt as she made her way to the bar. She glanced back at the table where Mark had taken up residence. The same man that she had noticed earlier today from the Marriott lobby was sitting with him.

"Here's your tray, missy. You get the back half of the bar. I assume you have experience in this type of thing, or Hank wouldn't have sent you." The bartender shoved the tray into her hand.

"Thanks." Amanda went to her station. She knew she was to be Mark's waitress, and wondered how she was going to wiggle out of that one.

A wolf call escaped the mouth of a very drunk young man sitting two booths behind Mark.

"Stop your staring and go get the man a drink," a booming voice barked from behind her. Amanda turned to look at the burley man; she assumed this was her new boss, Skip. She nodded and went to the obnoxious young man's table.

"Can I take your order?" Amanda peered down at the drooling man.

"I'd like _you_ on the rocks, babe." He slid his hand up her leg.

"Perhaps a nice cup of coffee." Amanda smiled as she removed his hand from her leg.

"Nah! I think maybe a 'sex on the beach' is in order," the man growled as he returned his hand to her thigh.

Amanda remained calm and kept her back to Mark and his friend.

Rupert watched with growing anger at the audacity of the young man. 'I may be old, but I could still give him a good fight,' he thought to himself as he stood to go rescue his niece.

Amanda was about to remove the man's hand once again, when she looked up to see Rupert's red face.

"Hello, honey. I didn't realize you took a job here." Rupert smiled and placed a comforting hand on Amanda's arm.

"Yeah, Rupert. I needed the extra cash," Amanda snapped back as her mind recovered from the shock of seeing him.

"Are you with him?" the young man asked as he gave the old man a disgusted look.

"Hey, buddy. She likes her men a little more seasoned and experienced." Rupert gave him his best smile.

"I bet I can show her a better time than you any day." The young man started to stand and show Rupert just what he meant.

"Settle down, son. How about I buy you all the alcohol you can handle tonight, if you leave this little morsel for me." Rupert placed his hand on the man's shoulder and retrieved a few bills from his pocket.

"I guess I could deal with that," the young man sneered as he took the money from Rupert and headed for the bar.

Amanda started to open her mouth, when Rupert placed a finger to her lips. "How about you sit with me a minute, sweetie?"

"Sure," Amanda hissed through clinched teeth as she took a seat across from Rupert in the booth.

"I've missed seeing you. I just wanted to see if you were all right." He reached across the table and took her hand.

Amanda nodded her head towards Mark's table. "I've been kinda' busy."

"I see." Rupert gave her a lavish wink.

Amanda squeezed his hand. "I need to mingle a little."

"Why don't you do an old man a favor and get him a stiff drink? I'll be waiting for you."

"A stiff drink?" Amanda tilted her head as she asked.

"Yeah, how about a Jack and Coke." Rupert smiled with a twinkle in his eye.

"Okay, Rupert. I'll be right back." Amanda slipped back to the bar to retrieve his drink.

Rupert listened intently as the two men bantered quietly at the booth, two up from him. They were arguing about when the time was right for Scarecrow to go, and that the list may have to be updated soon. He heard something about the Agency in D.C. needing a clean up detail; that everything was being handled by an inside contact at the Agency. Rupert kept his outward features that of a sweet old man, but inside, he was enraged by the danger Billy had put Amanda in.

Amanda watched Rupert from the bar, while she fended off unwanted hands.

"Hey, Bunny. Here's the old man's drink. Just a quick note of warning—Skip doesn't like his help working our customers." The bartender slightly held her wrist as he handed her the drink.

"Working our customers?" Amanda asked as she looked at the stern expression on his face.

"You know, your 'sugar daddy' over there is off limits during working hours." The bartender nodded towards Rupert.

"Oh!" Amanda gasped as she realized his meaning. She gave him a sweet smile and nodded her understanding.

"Rupert, you have got to go," Amanda whispered in his ear as she placed his drink on the table.

"Why?" He patted her hand.

"I'm not allowed visitors." Amanda motioned towards the bar.

"Hey, Lady! We need some service over here!" Mark called from his table.

"Oh. My. Gosh!" Amanda mouthed towards Rupert.

Rupert grabbed his chest and moaned. Amanda immediately thought he was having a heart attack by the look of pain on his face. She put her arms around his shoulders. "Are you all right?" she pleaded with him to answer.

Rupert started to cough. "I think I need some fresh air, this cigarette smoke is starting to get to me."

"Hey, Babe! We need some service!" Mark bellowed.

"Gotta help the old man," Amanda mumbled as she guided Rupert out of the booth. She placed his body between her and Mark, and headed straight for the front door. Once outside, she glanced down the street hoping the cabby had waited for her.

"Hey, get back here!" She heard Skip yell out the door.

Amanda felt a flood of relief at the sight of the yellow cab still by the curb. She increased her speed as Rupert straightened and ran with her.

"Let's go!" Amanda pushed Rupert into the waiting cab and closed the door.

The cabby turned in his seat to face her. "What took you so long?"

"Step on it!" Amanda looked back to see Skip getting closer to the cab.

"Is that your hubby?" the cabby asked, with a look of astonishment on his face.

"I don't have time for small talk. I said step on it!" Amanda pointed her finger towards the road.

"Geez, you don't have to be so pushy," the cabby said as he started the cab and took off into the down town streets.

Amanda turned her attentions to her friend, once the bar was out of site. "Rupert, are you all right?"

"Just fine. I can still think on my feet pretty good, huh?" Rupert gave her a beaming smile.

Amanda gave him a stern look. "Rupert! You scared me half to death."

"I'm sorry. I was just worried about you being in there all by yourself," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Hey, lady. Where do you want me to take you and your gentleman friend?" the cabby asked as he tried to repress a laugh.

Amanda looked down at her attire and realized she couldn't be seen at the Marriott this way. "Where are you staying, Rupert?"

"I'm at the Holiday Inn across town. I think we have a few things to discuss." Rupert smiled as he noticed her obvious discomfort with her clothes.

"Yes, I think we do! Cabby, will you take us to the Holiday Inn?"

"Sure thing, we'll be there in a jiffy," the cabby stated.

Rupert turned to face Amanda. "I overheard a few interesting things this evening."

"I'll just bet you did, Uncle. Why don't you wait and tell me everything once we get to your room," Amanda said sternly, but giving him a sweet smile.

Rupert nodded his understanding. The three occupants of the car remained quiet for the rest of the ride.

As the cab stopped in front of the Holiday Inn, Amanda stepped out.

"How much do we owe you?" Rupert asked as he slid across the seat to exit the cab.

"She's already paid me." The cabby shook his head at the sight of the odd couple then drove off into the night.

"Come on, Rupert. I'm about to freeze to death out here." Amanda grabbed his hand and headed for the lobby.

Kevin finished the last piece of his pizza, then, tossed the empty box onto the floor. His eyes fell upon the telephone next to his bed. 'Should I call, Mr. Melrose? Lee definitely isn't going to,' he thought as his conscious began to argue with him. 'On one hand, he is my partner and needs me to support him; on the other hand, I'm not sure he is doing the right thing. What if he's getting us into something that we have no business in? What if he's blinded by his obvious attraction for his last partner, and is about to make a huge mistake by digging too deep into I.A. business?' Kevin hung his head in his hands and tried to make sense of the whole situation.

"I need a drink," Kevin mumbled as he grabbed his coat and headed for the lobby.

Amanda pulled her chair closer to the heater in Rupert's room. "Okay, Rupert. What are you doing here? Did you talk to Mr. Melrose? Don't you know how dangerous it could be for me to be seen with somebody from the Agency?"

"Calm down, Niece. I talked to Billy like you wanted me to. He sure was upset to find out you were here, and not in Atlanta. Then, he told me that my nephew wasn't around to keep an eye on you. I'm only acting as a responsible Uncle, so don't get your feathers all ruffled." Rupert gave her a soft smile and pulled his chair next to hers.

"I'm sorry, Rupert. It's just that this assignment has gotten all of my emotions in a jumble." Amanda patted his leg.

Rupert placed his hand on hers. "I overheard the two men you were watching tonight."

"What did they say?" Amanda turned her full attention to her friend.

"They were arguing about when to move Lee to the top of some list. Then they discussed something about a mole inside of our Agency." He furrowed his gray eyebrows. "Are you going to tell me what all this is about?"

"Oh my gosh, Rupert. I'm going to have to get to the bottom of this quick." Amanda gasped at the thought of Lee's time running out.

"Amanda." Rupert grasped her hand tightly to regain her attention.

"Rupert, I need you to go back to D.C. and tell Mr. Melrose what you overheard. He needs to be aware that the walls have ears," Amanda pleaded.

"You're not going to tell me what's going on, are you?" Rupert nodded his understanding.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could, but there is too much at stake for me to risk bringing in someone else. I have to do this on my own. Do you understand?"

"I don't like it, but I do understand." Rupert nodded again as he watched her rise from her chair.

"I need to get back to my hotel before anyone realizes I'm gone." Amanda headed for the door.

"I think you might need this." Rupert opened his suitcase and handed her a long windbreaker.

"Thank you!" Amanda grabbed the coat and wrapped it around herself as best she could.

Rupert opened the door for her. "I'll walk you out and help you get a cab."

"Thank you for everything." Amanda placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

"You be careful. I don't want my niece, or my nephew, to take any unnecessary chances with their lives." Rupert gave her a stern look.

"I promise." Amanda placed his hand in hers and walked down the hall.

Kevin was finishing the last of his drink, when he looked up from the young brunette that was trying to hold his attention. He did a double take. "That can't be her. Who in the hell is the old guy?"

"Hmm…What are you talking about, sugar?" His newest female companion asked as she played with his hair.

"I have to go." Kevin abruptly pulled away from her and followed the couple out the door.

Rupert opened the cab door for her. "Now, don't you make me worry about you. Try and keep in touch, okay?"

"I will. You just make sure you talk to Mr. Melrose." Amanda placed a quick kiss on his cheek then entered the cab.

"I promise. " Rupert closed the door and handed the cabby a few bills for her ride back to the plaza.

Kevin lounged by the door as the old fellow made his way back inside. Rupert's training had made him realize that this young man had been watching him and Amanda.

Rupert stopped in front of Kevin. "Can I help you with something, sonny."

"Ahh…Ahh…I'm just waiting on a cab." Kevin stuttered, taken by surprise.

"I see." Rupert narrowed his eyes at the nervous young man. "Well, perhaps you would have better luck if you stood outside and flagged one down."

"Yeah, maybe you're right." Kevin brushed by him and headed out the door. 'That old coot seemed pretty sharp for someone his age. I wonder what he was doing with Mrs. King?' He stepped up to the curb and hailed a cab.

Within minutes, he was on his way to the Ritz-Carlton. He wanted to check out his suspicions regarding Mrs. King.

Amanda thanked the cabby for the ride, then, ran into the lobby. Looking at her watch, she realized it was close to 1:30 a.m. Hoping that Mark hadn't come back to the hotel yet, she raced towards the elevators. As she passed the front desk, she heard a familiar voice. Turning, she saw Francine checking in.

Amanda changed direction and walked up beside Francine. "Thank goodness Billy got in touch with you," she whispered to the blonde.

Francine turned to see Amanda standing beside her. "Yeah, he told me we had a real mess on our hands, but didn't have time to give me any details." She looked closer at the amount of make-up on Amanda's face, and noticed that she was wearing a coat that looked two sizes too big for her. "What have you been up to, Amanda?"

"Shhh…we can't talk here. Are you all checked in?" she continued in hushed tones.

"Yes. Come on, we'll head up to my room on the 8th floor," Francine replied.

Amanda glanced around, making sure Mark wasn't anywhere to be seen, and walked quickly to the elevators. As soon as they were safely behind the closed doors, and on the way up to Francine's room, she was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Neither one of them had seen Kevin enter the lobby. He stood back and watched Amanda and Francine get on the elevators together.

"This is getting more and more complicated by the minute," Kevin muttered to himself. He was sure now that Mr. Melrose wanted the two of them off this assignment. Why else would Francine be here? Not only that, but why was Francine with Mrs. King? He started wondering once more if he should go behind Scarecrow's back and call their boss. 'Maybe I can convince him tomorrow, after we try once more to break into Dobson's files,' he thought as he walked out of the lobby and back out into the night air.

Chapter 8

Amanda noted the calm expression that was etched on her co-worker's face as they entered her room. She was beginning to realize that Lee and Francine had a lot more in common than just the Agency; both had their emotional walls built around their true feelings. Francine, however, was more difficult to read than her beloved. Amanda respected her for her professionalism, but wondered if Francine would ever let her guard down and accept her as a friend. The emotional ride Amanda had been on over the past three weeks suddenly hit her like a tidal wave. Her body was shaking, but not from the cold. She needed to confide in someone—to share her burden. "I don't know how much more of this I can take," Amanda sighed as she took a seat on Francine's bed.

Francine locked the door and turned to face her. She noticed how tired and worn out Amanda looked. Amanda was shouldering the brunt of the load on this assignment. She knew that dealing with Lee was never easy, but to make him believe that she had betrayed their partnership had to be devastating on Amanda. "Amanda, take a minute to collect yourself; then you can fill me in on what's been going on."

Amanda sighed, a tired smirk playing across her face. "Do you want the long or the short version?"

Francine took a seat on beside Amanda on the bed. "Just fill me in on what you can, okay."

"Well, obviously you know that our travel plans changed at the last minute. Mark really caught me off guard with that bit of information. He apparently has plans to meet up with one of his non-Internal Affairs associates. He says that he wants to introduce me to the faculty of the New York office, but I have a feeling that his trip here is more of a personal nature. He told me that I might get to meet this 'friend' of his on this trip. I'm not sure if I'll get to see who his 'friend' is today before the Vice-President's Party, or tomorrow for that matter. I just have this overwhelming sensation Mark is somehow connected to these murders--"

Francine's eyes widened as she processed the information. "Amanda, did you say the Vice-President's party?"

"Yes. Mark told me this morning that he and I have been invited to attend. Why?" Amanda asked when she saw the look of shock cross Francine's face.

"Billy, thinking you were in Atlanta, sent Lee here to cover that party, and also to keep him away from _you_. Billy only took the time to tell me that I would be attending the party. He apparently neglected to inform me that I was going to have to play baby-sitter to Lee." Francine rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in the air.

Amanda turned distressed eyes towards Francine. "Lee's going to be there!"

"Yes!"

"I thought I saw him tonight when Mark and I were out, but I had hoped that --"

Amanda stood from the bed and walked over to the window.

"Amanda, are you all right?"

Amanda closed her eyes, as her hope of Lee knowing the truth floated out of her mind. She regained her composure and turned back to face Francine. "Yeah…I guess I should have known it was for some type of Agency business he was in town for. You were right about him not always being able to ride in on his white horse and save me."

"Amanda, everything will work out," Francine reassured her.

"I hope so, Francine. I really hope so." Amanda shook her head and returned her attention back to the flashing lights of the traffic far below. "If we all come out of this alive, I swear I'm going to string Dr. Smyth up by his coat tails for not letting me confide in Lee." Amanda voice held just a hint of anger.

Francine watched her fellow agent with admiration. The housewife, turned spy, standing before her always had something good to say about everyone, including Dr. Smyth. Her words of anger towards Smyth revealed a new side of Amanda: a protector of the ones she loved. Francine nodded to herself, finally understanding that Amanda and Lee's relationship ran much deeper than just that of co-workers. She had deep feelings for Lee and was not about to let Smyth, or this mystery man, take him from this world.

"I might just join you in Smyth hanging, if I can't come up with a way to keep Lee away form you and Mark. If Lee has his usual demeanor when he's upset, and causes a big scene tomorrow, we may all be looking for new jobs." Francine's voice mirrored Amanda's lack of enthusiasm. "Other than this huge glitch, what were you saying about Mark?"

Amanda turned to look back at Francine. Walking over to sit on the edge of the bed again, she replied, "I can't quite put my finger on it. From the minute I started this damn assignment three weeks ago, I haven't been comfortable around him. This recent, last minute schedule change…and the way he talks about his associate…I just have a really bad feeling. I guess I won't know more until I meet this guy." Looking over at the clock on the nightstand, she continued, "It's almost two in the morning. I should head back to my room. I just hope I don't run into Mark, especially dressed like this."

"Yeah, I almost forgot to ask. Why _are_ you dressed like that?" Francine eyes over perused Amanda's appearance.

A slight smile touched Amanda's face. "I had to improvise."

"It's definitely a change for you," Francine laughed.

Amanda's tension eased slightly with the familiarity of Francine's taunting. 'I can count on Francine to never change,' Amanda thought as she nodded at her.

"So what's the story behind it? You're not moonlighting are you?" Francine rolled her eyes, sensing Amanda's need for her to remain a strong constant, while everything else in her life was quickly changing.

"No," Amanda sighed, "I followed Mark tonight to some bar called 'Mothers.'"

"Down at the Meat Market!" Francine's eyes widened at the thought of Amanda amongst a bunch of needy men.

"Yes, Francine—the Meat Market. The bouncer thought I was one of their waitresses, hence the attire." Amanda stood and opened her coat for Francine to get a full understanding of the situation she had to deal with. "To make matters worse, I ran into Rupert. He apparently decided to follow me up here as well. He's on his way back to D.C. to fill Billy in on what he overheard Mark and his associate talking about. I can't shake the feeling that I know Mark's associate from somewhere--"

Francine couldn't help but chuckle. The thought of Amanda working the tables at a bar, scantily dressed was quite amusing.

Amanda looked at the blonde, her features returning serious. "I don't find any humor in my having to run around with my butt hanging out just to get information, Francine."

"I'm sorry, Amanda. I guess I'm just tired. What exactly did Rupert overhear?"

Amanda, remembering what she had learned earlier, let the worry show in her voice as she explained, "Rupert overheard them saying that Lee has moved up on the list. I think he may be next. Francine, you need to get Billy to put a shadow on Lee. I can only do so much. I just hope I can find out something before it's too late. If anything happens to Lee and we can't protect him…"

"Actually, Billy said he already had two watch dogs on him. However, I still need to let Billy know about the latest developments. I'll call him in the morning. Go on and get some rest. I'll see you at the party tonight."

Amanda sighed, a little relieved to know that someone was keeping an eye on Lee. "Thanks, Francine. We'll have to play it cool and keep our contact at a minimum. I'll try and rendezvous with you in the ladies room somehow." She rose from the bed and headed towards the door.

As Amanda opened the door and headed into the hallway, Francine followed. "Good luck, Amanda."

"You too, Francine. I think we're both going to need it," Amanda replied as she walked down the hallway.

Amanda managed to reach her hotel room without any incidences. She quickly entered, locked the door, and headed into the bathroom. Amanda let the warm spray of the shower erase the events of earlier that night. Then, she crawled into bed, with the thoughts of having to deal with Lee, once again, at the Vice President's gathering, weighing heavy on her mind. Exhaustion won out; she fell into a fitful sleep.

Kevin awoke to the sound of someone pounding on his hotel door. His eyes squinted as he adjusted the morning light flowing through his window. Glancing at the clock, he noticed it was already 9 a.m. "Damn I must have forgotten to set my alarm last night," he mumbled, as he leapt from the bed to answer the door.

He looked out the peephole to see a frustrated Lee standing in the hallway. "Oh, boy, this should be fun." He quickly undid the lock and opened the door.

"Do you know what time it is?" Lee demanded as he pushed his way passed Kevin and entered the room.

Kevin took a deep breath, and shut the door. "I'm sorry. I had a pretty late night."

Lee turned to look at the young man and noticed he was still only wearing his boxers. Running a hand through his hair, he stated through clenched teeth, "Get some clothes on, will you? I don't have time for excuses."

"Sorry, Lee. I forgot to set my alarm. Give me five minutes and I'll be ready," Kevin grabbed some clothes from his open suitcase, and headed to the bathroom to change.

Lee paced the floor while he waited. "I don't know why Billy had to stick me with another partner. I could've found a million answers by now. But _no…_ I have to be stuck baby-sitting this rookie," he muttered under his breath.

Kevin emerged a few minutes later to find Lee still pacing. "If you're done wearing out this carpet, shall we head back over to the Agency, and see if Stan will let you wear out his?"

Lee stopped and faced Kevin. His eyes revealing he was not in the mood for Kevin's wit, or sarcasm, at the moment. He had more important things to find out about, and didn't enjoy having to keep an eye on Romeo. "Let's stop wasting time, and get some work done, shall we?" Lee snapped and headed for the door.

Kevin grabbed his room key and followed him into the hallway. His little screw up this morning wasn't going to make it any easier to get on Lee's good side. He needed to find a way to crack the code and get into Dobson's files. Maybe, if he could do that, he'd be able to convince the almighty Scarecrow to give up this crusade and head on back to D.C.

They pulled into the New York Agency parking lot, approximately a half an hour later. "Thank God you decided to stop. You've driven around this block three times! Are we going to go in, or what! I'm starved. Maybe Stan has some stale donuts I can steal, since you wouldn't stop for breakfast," Kevin rambled, noting Lee's hesitation in exiting the car.

Lee jaws tightened as he looked at his associate. "We have baby-sitters."

"What do you mean? We have baby-sitters!" Kevin turned in his seat to look around the parking lot.

Lee shook his head and adjusted his rearview mirror. "Billy has assigned us a couple of watchdogs; they've been on us since we left our hotel."

Kevin looked back at Lee. "Why would Mr. Melrose do that?"

"I think we'll find that answer when we get into Dobson's file." Lee opened his car door and headed for the building.

Kevin followed Lee towards the building, and glanced at the two agents Lee was referring to in a near by car. "Why don't you just go ask them?" Kevin asked as he approached Lee's side.

Lee shrugged his shoulders and opened the agency door. "They're just doing their job. I'll get my answers in here."

Kevin nodded and followed him to the Agency counter to have their credentials verified and visitor passes issued.

Stan looked up to see Lee and Kevin in his doorway. "Back so soon?" he commented.

Lee entered the office and stood in front of his friend's desk. "Stan, would you mind if we borrowed your office again? We really need to take another crack at obtaining that information."

"I suppose—I don't have too much to do around my office today. I was actually just heading down stairs to go over some security plans for tonight's party. I'd invite you to join me, but I doubt you'll be hanging around long." Stan looked directly at Lee. He didn't know what his friend was up to, but he was sure it wasn't good. "Melrose phoned earlier, and asked me to have you call him, the minute you got here. He says he that has left you several messages already."

"I'll call him once we get the rookie here set up on your computer," Lee reassured him. He knew Billy was calling to tell them to head back to D.C. and forget the party, but he wasn't quite ready to leave just yet.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do, okay?" Stan shook his head and left his office.

Lee turned his attention back to Kevin. "Well, what are you waiting for? A written invitation! Get cracking on that code. I want to know just what Dobson's up to."

"Aren't you going to call Mr. Melrose?" Kevin asked. He was growing more and more concerned about what type of trouble he was going to get into hanging around with this new partner.

"Don't worry about that. Just get into Dobson's file," Lee ordered.

Kevin sighed and headed over to the computer. Sitting down at the desk, he noticed a list of names indicating who was attending the party. His eyes fell on one particular set of names: 'Dobson and King.'

Lee noticed the young man pause, and walked over to see what had caught his eye. He picked up the list, and smirked at the new tidbit of information Kevin had found.

"Well, if this isn't an interesting change of events. I just bet that Billy had no idea Amanda was going to be at the party when he ordered us here to New York," Lee chuckled as he realized the predicament his boss was in. 'Maybe, just maybe, I can talk some sense into Amanda tonight,' he mused to himself. Turning his attention back to the rookie, Lee said, "Since Dobson's going to be at this party, and we're going to be there, I want to have something to go on. Don't just sit there, work your magic on that keyboard."

Kevin sighed as he turned his attention to the computer. Any hope he had of getting Lee to head out of town today had just been wiped away. There was going to be no talking his partner out of going to the party tonight. He had no doubts about that.

Billy Melrose sat taping his pen against his desk, and staring at his phone. He had left messages for Lee at the Holiday Inn, and with Stan in the New York office. The two watchdogs had checked in to tell him that Scarecrow was still in New York. So why the hell hadn't he checked in himself? Like everyone else, he couldn't wait for this nightmare to be over.

Francine had called and complained about not being briefed about Lee's attendance at the Vice-President's party. She had also mentioned that Lee's name was quickly rising to the top of the list to be eliminated.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a tap at his window. Billy motioned for Rag Mop to enter.

"Sorry to bother you—just need to do some quick dusting in here," the custodian apologized.

"That's all right. We all have a job to do, don't we?" Billy replied, with a hint of frustration in his voice.

"You don't seem you're usual self, Sir. If I may say so?" Rag Mop commented.

"It's been a hell of a bad week, Rag Mop," he replied.

Rag Mop took out the duster from his pail and started going over the bookshelf. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Let's just say that three of my best agents are in the middle of something big, and I'm down here, in D.C., unable to do a damn thing to keep them out of harms way," Billy replied, putting his head in his hands.

Rag Mop looked at Mr. Melrose curiously. He had said three of his best agents. He would have thought that after Mrs. King had left, he'd be back down to two. He was about to make a comment, when Rupert Simpson entered the office.

"Billy, we need to talk," the old man demanded.

"Rupert, I hope you have some good news to share with me?"

"News, yes, but it's not likely to be good. We can't talk here. The walls have ears—if you know what I mean." The old man turned and headed back out into the bullpen.

Billy shook his head as he stood and followed Rupert. His day wasn't going to get any better.

Rupert waited till they were outside the building to fill Billy in. "Now, before you get mad, I went to New York and checked on my niece," he paused when he noticed that Billy was nodding his head.

"Francine phoned me this morning. Amanda told her you were there. I already know about Scarecrow's name heading to the top of the list. Why don't you tell me why we're talking outside?" Billy said, trying not to lose his patience with the old man.

"Well, son, it appears there is a leak in the Agency. Someone is tipping off the murderers, and getting them information on where these agents are," Rupert explained.

"Great!" Billy huffed. "And just how are we supposed to figure out who that might be?"

"I don't know, but I don't like the idea of Amanda working on this alone." Rupert gave the younger man a look of annoyance.

"Francine's there—she'll keep an eye on things. However, this means we're going to have to come up with something to trap our mole." Billy's head was beginning to pound. "Why me?" he mumbled. Turning back to Rupert, he said, "Thank you for the heads up. Let me know if you hear from Amanda again. But do me a favor—stay in D.C."

Rupert nodded. "Okay, but promise me you'll call me if you need me. Keep in touch." He turned and headed down the street to grab a cab.

Billy watched him turn the corner before heading back into the building. He began to wonder just why he went through so much trouble to keep his agents alive.

An hour had gone by and Kevin still hadn't gotten any closer to getting back into Dobson's file.

Lee had grown tired of wearing a hole in Stan's carpet, and now stood staring out the window, watching the busy New York streets.

"Shazam! I'm in!" Kevin shouted.

Lee quickly turned and headed straight for the desk. "Well, what do we have?"

Kevin frowned, devastated. He knew Lee wasn't going to like what had come up. "Nothing. Not a damn thing. All it has is his birth date, height, weight, and start date with I.A."

Lee pounded his fist onto the desk. "Damn it! I know Dobson's up to something. I just know it!"

"Maybe he's not, Lee; maybe he's as clean as a whistle. Let's just pack up and head back to D.C." Kevin hoped that his partner would see it his way.

"No way in hell. We're going to that party. Come on, we aren't going to do much else here. Get out of the I.A. files and we'll head back to the hotel." Lee shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to face the window.

"Don't you think you should at least check in—" Kevin focused his eyes on his partner's back.

"I'll check in with Billy when I'm good and ready." Lee turned an angry face on the young man and then turned abruptly to leave the office.

Kevin exited back to the Agency screens and turned off Stan's computer. Standing up, he followed Lee. When they got back to D.C. he was going to ask Mr. Melrose for reassignment.

Smoke wafted over the monitors as the dark man listened to his informant on the other end of the phone. "Interesting. Very, very, interesting. So, Melrose let something slip. I'll have to keep an extra set of eyes on Mrs. King. Thank you very much for this information. Were you able to determine where agent Frank Sumter will be tonight? Good, good. I'll make sure I put that to good use. Once again, you're information is most useful."

As soon as he ended that phone call, he began to dial another set of numbers. "Hello, Donneker? I need you to do a job for me. I want you to search Mrs. King's house. I have reason to believe that she may not have left the Agency. Look for anything that might point in the direction of the Agency. Leave no stone unturned. Understand? Report back to me by tonight."

With that, he hung up the phone and sat back watching his monitors. "If Mrs. King _is_ trying to pull the wool over our eyes, I will make sure that both she, and the Agency, regret their little scheme." A smile crossed his lips as he let out an evil chuckle.

To Be Continued….


	5. Part 5

See Part 1 for Disclaimers, Notes, etc.

Chapter 9

Amanda looked at her reflection in the mirror. 'Am I the same woman that accepted a package from a complete stranger four years ago?' She smiled softly at the memory of Lee's pleading eyes and disheveled appearance at the train station. 'No, I'm not the same woman. I've changed.' Sighing, she returned to her bedroom to dress for the evening. She would need all of the training, intuition, courage, and self-confidence that she had gained over the years with Lee by her side.

She knew Lee was going to be there tonight. Her mind, heart, and soul told her that he would, once again, challenge her decision to leave the Agency. She knew him well enough to know that he would try to convince her that she was wrong about their relationship. No matter what, she had to stand her ground. She was too close to finding out who was killing the agents, and why they had died. But was she any closer to saving Lee's life?

As she continued to dress for the evening, she thought over the day's events. She and Mark had visited the I.A. office. She had been introduced to all the key people, and made familiar with their operations here in New York. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened, until they started to leave. Mark had received an urgent phone call, and left Amanda to fend for herself for a few minutes. As she waited for his return, she was surprised to see Stan staring at her from across the room. The confused and accusatory look on his face told her that he had seen Lee in New York. She had started to go over and speak to her friend, but Mark had returned. She glanced back at the corner where she had seen Stan and noticed that he was gone.

Mark's attitude towards her had changed. He was still overly friendly, but his eyes held a new awareness of her. He was cautious of whom he mentioned, and what he said. She would have to tread lightly around him tonight. She might even have to put more on the line than she had hoped, in order to assure his trust in her. She was pulled from her thoughts by the light knock on the door.

She smoothed the silk fabric of her dress with her left hand, as she pulled back a stray strand of hair with her right. She took one last glance at her appearance before she answered the door.

"You're breathtaking, Amanda," Mark remarked as he entered her room.

"Thank you, Mark. You look quite dashing yourself." Amanda smiled brightly.

Mark extended his arm for her to take. "Shall we?"

"Yes." Amanda accepted his gesture, and they left to attend the night's events.

Lee looked over the balcony at the gathering of diplomats and other members of New York's High Society. They all chatted and smiled without a care in the world. His facial features hardened as he watched happy couples dance in each other's embrace.

"Hey, Lee. Do you think we should check in with the New York Section Chief? I see him down there with Stan." Kevin pointed to the area they were in.

"No." Lee continued to scan the ballroom.

"Well, if we're not here to work, then what in the hell are we doing here?" Kevin snapped.

"That's where you're wrong—we are working," Lee stated in an extremely calm voice.

"On what?" Kevin looked over the crowd to see what had captured Lee's undivided attention.

Lee remained silent as he watched Mark and Amanda enter the ballroom. "She just

_had_ to wear that!" he huffed under his breath as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Who?" Kevin looked at Lee then back toward the ballroom.

Lee's jaw muscles tightened as he watched the woman, who was supposed to be his fiancée, smile softly and lean into Mark's touch. "If she _is_ playacting, she's doing a damn good job of it," Lee muttered.

Kevin finally saw where Lee's eyes were focused. Amanda King had made a definite statement in her long black gown. The silk clung to her small body, accentuating her curves. She wore her hair pulled up, with a few stray curls softly resting on her shoulders. Kevin nodded, realizing why the man beside him had eyes only for her. She definitely didn't look like the housewife turned agent that he had seen at the Agency.

Kevin turned back to look at his brooding partner. "Maybe we should blow this joint."

Lee continued his watch, unwilling to hear Kevin's pleas. Stan, from his position beside the Section Chief, looked up in time to see Amanda enter the party. Turning his gaze toward the balcony, he noted the affect it was having on his long time friend.

Stan excused himself from his boss, and went to talk to Lee. "Hey, Scarecrow. We need some help with the outside security. It seems we have a few rookies out and about tonight; they can't seem to get over the glamour of this bash and do their job."

"Hmm…" Lee's eyes narrowed as he watched Amanda place a small kiss on Mark's cheek.

Stan placed his hand on Lee's shoulder. "Come on, Lee. Let's go yell at a few greenhorns. It always makes me feel better."

Lee looked back at Stan. "I think a stiff drink would do me more good, but maybe some fresh air couldn't hurt."

"That's the spirit." Stan turned to walk down the steps.

Lee and Kevin followed the New York agent down the stairwell. Lee looked across the room and easily spotted her in the crowd. A rush of emotion overtook him; he abruptly left the side of his two fellow agents—his long strides quickly closing the distance as he stalked across the room to confront his quarry.

Amanda had felt Lee's hot stare when she first walked into the ballroom. She had caught a glimpse of him hovering over the balcony when Mark had introduced her to one of the Senator's wives. She had hoped that he would be too busy with security to talk to her just yet. She wanted to get away from Mark for a few minutes and speak to Lee in private. A big scene would not do her position any good at the moment.

"I see your ex-partner has joined us this evening," Mark whispered into her ear as he pulled her tightly to his side.

"Hmm…Lee's here?" Amanda played innocent.

"Yes, and I believe he's heading our way now." Mark nodded towards the fuming Lee.

Amanda swallowed the lump forming in her throat as her mind filled with of ideas of how to escape this situation. "I really should freshen up a bit before we meet Vice President Bush." Amanda smiled sweetly at Mark.

"Don't you want to talk to Scarecrow?" Mark smiled at the tall form that was quickly approaching.

"Not—" Amanda began.

"Good evening, Stetson. I didn't realize you were in New York." Mark extended his hand to greet Lee.

"Evening, Dobson," Lee replied through clenched teeth.

"Quite a lovely gathering, don't you think?" Mark pulled Amanda tighter to his side.

"Quite. May I have a few moments of your time, Amanda?" Lee focused his penetrating gaze on her.

"I was just about to go to the ladies room and freshen up; Mark has promised to introduce me the Vice-President." Amanda gave Lee a weak smile.

"I really need to talk to you, Amanda." Lee placed his hand on her arm and gave it a tight squeeze.

"Perhaps you two could share a dance later. Right now, however, I see someone I need to introduce Manda too." Mark nodded towards the Vice President's aide, who was motioning for them to join him. "Excuse us, Stetson."

"Manda!" Lee hissed as he watched Mark pull Amanda off into the crowd.

Stan stood behind Lee; he could feel the vibrations of anger radiating from his friend's body. "Come on, man, let her be. She obviously has other things on her mind."

Lee turned to see the concerned face of his friend. "I'll let her be just as soon as I get some things off of _my_ mind." Lee slowly walked from the ballroom to join Kevin outside. He needed time to collect his thoughts, and determine the best approach for this situation.

As she watched Lee exit the ballroom, Amanda released the breath she had been holding. 'Perhaps, he's gone for the evening.' Her thoughts were interrupted, as Mark introduced her to Vice-President Bush.

Kevin and Stan observed as Lee paced the entranceway to the building.

Kevin looked at the senior agent. "He's got it bad."

Stan nodded. "Yep."

"I think something's up. What about you?" Kevin pulled his tuxedo coat closed.

"The only thing I know is that Billy doesn't want Lee here—_at_ _all_. I think our best course of action is to get 'Mr. Pissed Off' over there out of here as quickly as possible." Stan looked intently at Lee's partner.

Kevin nodded. "I couldn't agree with you more."

Lee looked over at the two men, and as if he could read their thoughts, he reentered the ballroom. "I've got to say my peace first, " he mumbled, scanning the crowed for Amanda.

Amanda glided across the dance floor with Mark. 'He's no Lee Stetson,' she thought as she tried to avoid having her toes mashed by the tall man. Amanda felt warmth spread through her body, as a familiar hand touched the bare skin of her back.

Lee narrowed his eyes towards Mark. "May I cut in?"

Mark met Lee's intense gaze as he tightened his hold on her waist. "If it's all right with Manda?"

Amanda smiled warmly at him as he released her from his embrace. "I'll be fine, Mark."

"If you need me, I'll be right over there at the bar." Mark brushed past Lee.

Lee pulled her to him and began to sway with the music. "_We_ need to talk."

Amanda melted in his strong arms. Her body molded to his as if they were one. 'I have to be strong,' she reminded herself as she looked into his loving eyes. "Lee, we don't have much to talk about. I have a new life, with a new partner. I just wish that you could get on with yours."

"So I suppose you prefer the company of 'Mr. I.A.' over there, _Manda_," Lee sarcastically replied.

"Lee, please accept my decision, and leave me alone to live my life," Amanda whispered, hoping to cover the shaking in her voice.

Lee looked deep into her eyes, peering into her soul. "You're lying," he calmly stated as he moved them closer to the balcony with his movements.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Amanda asked as she realized Lee had pulled her out into the darkness of the balcony.

"Yes." Lee pulled her tightly against him and placed his lips on hers.

She could feel the walls that she had built against him start to crumble, as his lips and tongue began to search for more. She wanted badly to taste the man she loved; to hold him, to touch him, to let her body and soul be released to him—but she couldn't. She wondered if she would ever be able to have the man before her make love to her? Surely he would hate her after this. Amanda mentally shook her head as her eyes noted Mark's presence by the door. She brought her hands to his chest, and pushed him away.

"Lee, if you would stop for one minute, and think about what our lives would be like together, you would realize that it never would have worked. You are not the kind of man who needs or _wants_ a housewife and mother of two; you could _never_ settle for hamburgers and wine. One day I would wake up and you would have moved on to some young, beautiful, vibrant woman." She turned her back to him and walked to the railings. She titled her head back and looked at the sky above her. The glittering stars beckoned her to hold their sight with her eyes. 'The sky is so clear and unclouded, unlike my life,' she reflected as she heard him approach her.

"Amanda, I'm not the same man that I was three years ago." Lee's voice began to rise as he closed the space between them.

"You think you've changed, that you're not the same man I meet at that train station three years ago?" Amanda refused to look at him.

"I'm not...shit, why in the hell are we having this conversation? You're _my_ fiancée. I have asked you to spend the rest of my life with me, and you're standing here throwing it all away." Lee placed his left hand on her arm and pulled her around to face him. "What more do you want from me?" His voice was at a full shout now.

"I'm begging you to pack your bags, take your new partner, and go back to D.C. where you belong." Amanda jerked her arm out from his grasp and headed for the ballroom.

Kevin had reached the balcony doors just as Amanda had finished telling Lee to get on with his life. He wanted to approach his partner, but something held him back; it was the look of determination on Lee's face. Deciding that it wasn't his place to keep the man from making a huge mistake, he headed over to the bar to see what kind of mischief he could get himself into.

Lee watched her leave his side, and take her comfort with the man standing at the door.

Mark had watched the scene play out to its full extent. A victory smile crossed his lips as he ushered Amanda back to the dance floor.

Lee let his heart think, instead of his head, and followed the couple through the crowd of people. "Amanda King! I am not going to let you throw this all away!" He pulled her from Mark's arms.

Mark stepped between Lee and Amanda. "I think you had better leave, Mr. Stetson."

"I'll leave when I'm damn good and ready!" Lee spat, turning his attention to Mark.

Amanda had to end this, and the only way she knew how, was to blow Lee's mind completely. "Lee, you should go. We have nothing left. I have found a new partner; a new life." She took Mark's hand in hers and led him out of the ballroom.

Amanda had to prove to Lee that it was over. Her words were not convincing him. Knowing that Lee was only a few steps behind her, she embraced Mark in a passionate kiss. She allowed soft moans of pleasure to escape her lips, as her hands roamed Mark's back. Lee turned his head from the sight. 'Can she really mean it...is it really over?' Glancing once more towards the balcony, he mumbled to himself, "Yes, I guess it really is over." He turned and walked towards his new partner at the bar.

"I thought that was your voice I heard booming. I've been looking all over for you, Lee." Francine stepped up behind him.

"Well, you found me." Lee's eyes were, once again, focused on the brunette that had just left him. She was resting against Mark's shoulder quietly laughing at whatever stupid thing he had to say.

"Lee! Lee! Lee! Are you listening to me?" Francine placed her hand on his right shoulder.

Lee turned his tormented eyes towards her. "Yeah. What are you doing here, Francine?"

Francine was momentarily stunned, by the sight of water glistening in her friend's eyes. In the past eight years, she had never seen Scarecrow shed a tear. She cleared her throat and regained her composure. "Billy wanted me to check on a tip we received about the agents being murdered. It came up dry, so he told me to come here to find you tonight, and bring you home."

Lee's eyes narrowed at his blonde co-worker. "Why does he want me back in D. C. so bad?"

Francine's features became saddened. "Billy confirmed another murder this afternoon, Lee. It's Frank Sumter."

Lee's eyes turned cold at the mention of his friend's death. He turned his full attention to Francine. "Where did they find him?" His voice was almost mechanical in sound.

Francine's voice was barely above a whisper. "An abandoned warehouse, down near the Anacostia River. His body was still warm."

"Any leads?" Lee's eyes returned to the ballroom.

"No. Billy wants you and Kevin back home A.S.A.P. Let's go find Kevin." Francine placed her hand on his elbow and gently pulled him towards the bar.

Francine immediately spotted Kevin at the bar, in the clutches of a very attractive Hungarian woman. "There he is. I swear, Lee, I think he's going to give you a run for your money, as far as the water cooler gossip goes."

Lee headed straight for Kevin. "Let's go, rookie. We've got a lot of work to do back home. There's nothing for me to do here anymore." Lee left the ballroom and headed for his car. He was going home and try to pick up the pieces of his life. 'Would he be able to start over? Did he want to start over?'

Chapter 10

'I guess the stories about the hot-headed Scarecrow were true,' Kevin mused to himself as he sat quietly in the passenger seat of Lee's Corvette.

During the plane ride back from New York, Kevin had made the mistake of asking Lee why he was so upset over the words of some woman. After all, weren't women just objects to be used and sent on their way when their purpose was through? From what he had heard of the agent in the driver's seat, that was supposed to be his way, too.

Lee had not reacted well at all to his comments, and had spent the better part of ten minutes reading him the riot act.

"How _dare_ you think that Amanda King is just 'some woman'? She has more instincts in her little finger than you could ever possibly hope to obtain, even if you were to work for the Agency for another ten years," Lee had pointed out.

"Hey, man. Look, it was just an observation. I understand she was your partner and all, but she's obviously decided to get over you. You need to get over her." Kevin had tried to reason with him.

Lee had then proceeded to go off, again, still defending the woman who had just blown him off. From everything Kevin had witnessed, it was pretty obvious that Mrs. King wanted Lee as far away from her as possible. 'I can't figure out for the life of me, why the legendary 'Scarecrow' would be defending someone like that. They must have a pretty interesting past,' he thought to himself. Sighing, he returned his attention to the view of the D.C. buildings passing by outside his window.

Lee gritted his teeth, as he glanced at the young rookie in the passenger seat. 'First, I get strapped with a partner I don't want, who turns out to be just as brash and inexperienced about women, as he is about this business. Then, Amanda all but throws herself at Mark. I almost wish I had stayed in London and visited with Emily. Then maybe this nightmare wouldn't be happening. But _nooo_, I had to be excited about seeing my fiancée, and come home a day early. God forbid,' Lee thought as he maneuver his 'Vette through the D.C. streets. 'How could she do this to me? Amanda wouldn't be doing this to me if she had a choice. Would she?'

Lee grimaced as he reflected on the torturous plane ride home. He began to regret going off at the young man, but he couldn't help it. Even if Amanda had once again brushed him off and told him to leave her alone, he couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't being honest. The way she had accepted his kiss near the balcony made him believe she still needed him. Why did she keep trying to push him away? She had thrown more stinging words at him, but yet her eyes—those beautiful brown eyes—told a totally different story. He could still see the love in them. But he had seen her kiss... hell she was all over Dobson tonight.

Lee breathed a frustrated sigh. He took another look at his surroundings, and realized that he had been pretty much driving around in circles since they'd left the airport. He was putting off the inevitable: going home to an empty apartment, and a life without Amanda King.

"What do you say we hit a bar? I could use a good stiff drink?" he asked the newcomer in the seat next to him.

"Sure. I don't have any place to be," Kevin replied, a little stunned that Lee had even suggested the idea.

"I know a great hole-in-the-wall, where no one will know or bother us." Lee drove his Corvette carefully through the streets of Northwest, and found a park-it-yourself garage. There was no way in hell, after the day he'd had, he was parking his baby anywhere on the street, or letting anyone else park it.

Leaving the garage, the two walked silently for two blocks, until they came to the Brickskeller. Upon entering the establishment, Lee bee-lined his way to the bar.

Kevin meandered behind, eyeing the crowd. If he was going to have a good time, he might as well scope out the scene.

Lee found an empty barstool and motioned for the bartender. "Straight scotch, please."

Kevin punched Lee in the arm. "Check out those two blondes across the room. Man-oh-man, are they stacked." Kevin sat on the empty stool beside Lee, never taking his eyes off the two women.

The bartender handed Lee his drink and watched as he promptly proceeded to down it in one gulp.

"Hit me again, bartender." Lee slammed his now empty glass on the counter. Turning towards Kevin. "What was that?"

"I was pointing out those two babes over there checking us out." Kevin nodded his head sideways.

Lee glanced over and saw the bubbly blondes smile back at him. There was a time when he would have found them quite appealing, but now he only longed to hold one special woman in his arms.

"Come on. Let's go on over and introduce ourselves," Kevin suggested as he got up off the barstool.

"No, thanks. You go on. I'm going to commiserate alone, if you don't mind."

"Suit yourself." Kevin shrugged his shoulders, and headed over to the other table.

Lee watched from the corner of his eye at how easily the young man talked his way into a seat at the table. Shaking his head, he swallowed the last of his scotch.

"I don't know what Billy thought he was doing by sticking me with such a young buck. All Kevin is interested in is doing his work, and then heading out to find a good time in the company of a woman," he mumbled under his breath.

Lee looked up at the image of himself reflected in the mirror behind the bar. Then he looked over to Kevin. 'It's hard to believe I was that type of man two years ago.'

Lee let a small smile cross his lips as he realized what Billy had done— he had put Lee's own past in front of him. He was trying to tell him what a difference Amanda had made in his life. 'Amanda,' he thought to himself.

Anger welled up inside of him, as the images of 'Manda' in Dobson's arms, flooded his mind. He needed to have a serious discussion with Billy and Dr. Smyth, and find out what the hell was really going on. Slamming his glass down on the bar, he motioned for the bartender to fill him up again.

As he watched his glass filling, a soft hand touched his arm. Lee looked at the person the touch belonged to. One of the blondes Kevin had mentioned earlier had found her way to his side.

"Your friend, Kevin, said you could use a soft shoulder to lean own. He says you just got dumped," the blonde whispered.

"Oh, he did, did he?" Lee narrowed his eyes as he placed his drink on the bar, and swiveled his chair to look over at Kevin.

"Yes, he did. I've always prided myself on being a good listener. My name is Ginger." She began to stroke his arm softly. "What's your name, honey?"

Lee turned in his seat to face the woman. "I hate to be rude, but I'm really not in the mood for any companionship."

"Are you sure? You do look like you could use a friend. Besides, your friend, Kevin, seems to have latched onto my friend, Barbara, and well, it seems I'm suddenly free for the evening," Ginger replied sweetly, placing her hand on his knee.

Lee took her hand off of his knee and placed it on the bar. The old Lee would have been more than happy to accept the 'friendship' of this beautiful woman, but that was then. "Thank you. I do appreciate the offer, but I would really prefer to be by myself," he said, giving the woman a kind smile.

"Are you sure? I know how rough it can be to have someone leave you." Ginger tried once more to gain the attention of this handsome man. "I've been dumped many times myself. In fact, Barbara brought me here tonight to help me forget my last boyfriend."

"I can see she's doing a great job of that," Lee replied sarcastically as he eyed Kevin fondling Ginger's friend.

"Yeah, well, Barbara always did go for the smooth talkers," Ginger laughed.

Lee motioned for the bartender. "Since your friend seems to have deserted you, can I buy you a drink?"

She accepted his gracious offer. "I would love a rum and coke."

Lee had no sooner finished giving the order to the bartender, than Kevin approached with Barbara seductively clinging to his arm.

"Lee, if you don't mind, I'm gonna head out. This lovely lady here is offering me a ride home," Kevin remarked with a huge grin on his face.

"You're a big boy, Kevin. You don't need my approval," Lee replied, with a bit of annoyance in his voice. "Just be sure to show up at work tomorrow."

"Will do, Chief." Kevin winked, and then turned towards the door, with Barbara at his side.

"Great." Ginger watched as the couple walked out into the night.

"What's wrong?" Lee turned his attention back to Ginger.

"Barbara was my ride home," Ginger pouted.

"Wonderful. Just wonderful," Lee mumbled, rolling his eyes and running his hand through his hair. "I suppose it would be extremely rude of me not to offer you a ride. What do you say we finish our drinks, and then I escort you home?"

"You really wouldn't mind?" Ginger asked, letting a small smile cross her lips.

"Let's just say, it's better than sitting here in this bar all night, drowning my sorrows. By the way, my name is Lee." Lee then turned his attention back to his drink, and stared at his reflection in the mirror behind the bar.

"Thank you." Ginger picked up her drink and took her time finishing it. She sat there and watched the man beside her. He seemed so lost and alone, almost as if his mind were a hundred miles away. From the way he had ignored her advances, she could tell his mind was definitely on another woman. 'I only wish I could get someone to feel that way about me,' she thought as she swallowed another drink of the intoxicating liquid.

Finishing her drink, she whispered in Lee's ear that she was ready to leave. Lee paid the bartender then escorted Ginger out of the bar. They walked the two blocks back to the garage in silence.

When they reached Lee's car, Ginger let out a squeal of delight. "Is this really your car? Oh, of course it is. I've always wanted to ride in a sports car. This car really does suit you," she cooed as she rubbed her hand up and down Lee's arm while he opened the passenger door for her.

"Thank you. It's gone through a lot for me over the last two years," he replied, removing his arm from underneath her hands, and helping her into the car.

"Are you sure you're all right to drive? I mean, it looked like you put away quite a few drinks tonight?" Ginger asked a little worriedly.

Lee shook his head. "Trust me, it takes more than four scotches to get me good and drunk. I promise I'll see you home safe and sound," he replied, going around to the driver side and opening his door.

As Lee drove his car through the streets of D.C., he stole glances at the blonde. 'Man, I must be a fool. Here's this gorgeous woman, all but throwing herself at me, and I'm so caught up in my own thoughts. What if Amanda isn't working on a case? What if she really wants to be with Dobson? No. That's ridiculous. I know Amanda. We've been through too much together in the last three years for her to throw it all away so easily.' Sighing, he turned his attention back onto the roads.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at Ginger's apartment complex.

"Thank you, for the ride, Lee. I truly appreciate it." Ginger looked at him through her dark eyelashes.

As Lee turned to tell her she was welcome, he realized that her face was inches from his own. She leaned in and placed an inviting kiss on his lips. Reacting to their closeness, his natural instincts took over, and he returned her kiss. Ginger, excited by his reaction, wrapped her arms around Lee's neck and began to stroke the ends of his hair.

As her tongue sought entry, Lee realized how wrong this was. Pulling back, he gently removed her arms from around his neck.

"I'm sorry. Look, you're a very attractive young lady, and maybe if we had met a year ago, I'd be more than happy to accept your affections. But my life is too complicated right now. Thank you for...well, just thank you," Lee said. He leaned in and placed a tender kiss on Ginger's cheek.

"Your girlfriend sure doesn't know what she's letting go," Ginger replied. "Are you sure I can't change your mind. You're more than welcome to join me for a nightcap," she winked.

"No, really. But thank you."

"Okay. Thanks again for the ride." Ginger opened her door and hopped out of the car.

Lee waited till she had safely entered her building before he tore off and headed home himself.

Amanda walked into the Ritz-Carlton, intent on heading up to her room and having a good cry. The look on Lee's face when she had once again rejected him was too much to handle. She knew he had seen her all over Mark tonight, and she knew he was feeling betrayed and hurt. The way he had stormed out of the party after Francine had told him of Frank's murder, she feared he'd revert back to his old ways and become willing to do anything to get the job done. She frowned at the thought of Frank Sumter being dead. She hadn't known him well, but he was still a fellow Agent. She had met Francine in the ladies room for a quick debriefing. Francine had apologized for not getting to the party sooner, but had explained to her that she was delayed due to obtaining information about Frank's death. Amanda prayed that Lee had really listened to her this time. This would all be so much easier, if he would just listen and stop trying to interfere. She had done her best to convince Lee that it was over, even if her heart hadn't been in it. She did what had to be done. Right?

"Manda, honey, wait up." She heard Mark call when she had reached the elevators.

Turning, she looked at the man who was the cause of all her problems. Forcing a smile, she said, "I just figured I'd come on in and try and get us an elevator."

Mark came up beside her and put an arm around her waist. "That was a brilliant idea," he whispered, leaning down to capture her lips with his.

Amanda returned the kiss in kind, even though she really wasn't in the mood for any of his unwanted attentions. The elevator doors opened and they walked inside.

"You're awful quiet tonight," Mark said as they waited for the elevator to reach their floor.

"I guess I'm just overwhelmed from all the excitement tonight. You know, meeting the Vice-President and all," she replied quietly, letting a yawn escape.

"Yes, it was quite an evening wasn't it?" he stated. "You looked exquisite tonight. I know I sure enjoyed myself." 'I'm going to enjoy your company tonight, my dear,' Mark thought to himself as the doors opened and they walked into the hallway.

As they reached Amanda's room, Mark leaned down to capture her lips again, letting his hopes for her to reciprocate his passion be shown through his kiss.

Amanda pulled away. "I'm sorry Mark, but I'm really exhausted. If you don't mind, I'd really like to just head in and get some sleep."

Mark let the disappointment he was feeling show in his voice. "I suppose I can't change your mind?" he asked as he rubbed his hand over her bare shoulder.

"No, not tonight. I really am tired. I'll see you in the morning, okay?" She placed a kiss on his lips then headed into her room.

Closing the door behind her, she locked it, and then dropped her purse on the table. She headed over to the window and stared out at the busy street.

Her thoughts turned to Lee; he was out there somewhere, working with his new partner, and probably tormented by the events of tonight. "Lee, I hope when this is all over, you'll be able to forgive me. I feel like I've suddenly sold my soul to the Devil, in order to save your life," she sobbed.

Walking away from the window, she plopped herself onto the bed, and cried herself into a fitful sleep.

The dark figure watched and listened to the room's occupant. "It seems it's time to up the pace a little. My informant's suspicions were correct—my newest pawn seems to be keeping some secrets from us. She hasn't left the Agency's employ."

He picked up the phone, intent on moving up his deadline.

"Hello?"

"Dobson, I need you to pick up your protégé, and bring her to my office first thing tomorrow morning. I believe it's time to give her an attitude adjustment. She'll be the perfect one to assist us in Scarecrow's demise."

"Yes, sir," Mark replied into the phone.

Hanging up, the figure let out an evil chuckle as a puff of smoke drifted out over the monitors.

To Be Continued….


	6. Part 6

See Part 1 for Disclaimers, Notes, etc.

Chapter 11

Amanda stood in her bathroom placing the last of her makeup on, lost in thought of the previous night's events. A soft knock startled her back to the current situation, as she went to answer the door.

"Good morning, Amanda," Mark greeted her. "You look tired. Didn't you sleep well?"

"I couldn't seem to fall asleep. I think I spent most of the night going over the excitement of meeting the Vice-President," she replied, opening the door to let him in. "Make yourself comfortable, I'll only be a minute." She headed into the bathroom to finish getting ready.

"I stopped by the hotel restaurant and grabbed us some bagels and coffee. They're waiting for us in the limo," Mark informed her, walking over and sitting down next to the table. He glanced around the room looking for evidence to confirm his boss's suspicion. Smiling, he glanced over at the mirror placed on the far wall. His boss certainly didn't take chances with anything, even going to the lengths of placing a camera in his new protégé room. The thoughts of introducing Amanda to his boss sent a slight chill through his body. He knew that it was inevitable, from the beginning, that she would become part of his boss' master plan, but Mark did have a little conscious left in his soul. He began to tap his fingers against the coffee table as he thought of the events that would soon follow.

"Are we in a hurry? I thought we'd be having breakfast in the restaurant?" Amanda replied, poking her head out of the bathroom. Her mind was racing again. 'Shoot! How can this keep happening? I was going to rendezvous with Francine this morning.' "I'm ready," she announced as she left her bathroom.

"My associate, the one you didn't get to meet yesterday, is heading out of town earlier than expected. He's expecting us in half an hour." Mark stood up from the table, and met her in the middle of the room. "I just know he's going to be as impressed with you as I am," he whispered into her ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist and stole a morning kiss.

Amanda reluctantly returned the kiss and quickly escaped from his embrace. "Shall we go, then?"

"Sure thing. Our chariot awaits." He followed her out the door and into the hallway.

When they reached the lobby, Amanda saw Francine heading into the hotel restaurant. She needed to come up with some subtle way to catch her co-worker's attention. As they walked, hand-in-hand, towards the front entrance, they passed a floral arrangement. Amanda took advantage of the large vase of wild flowers, and released a series of loud sneezes.

"God bless you. You're not coming down with anything are you?" Mark asked, handing her his handkerchief.

Amanda turned and faced Mark, whose back was now to the willowy blonde. Keeping Mark's attention on her, he didn't see the nod Francine sent her way. "Thank you. No need to worry; it's nothing but allergies. It must be these flowers. Come on, I'm anxious to meet your associate," she spoke a notch higher than her normal tone, hoping Francine would hear her and follow.

Mark, once again, took her hand in his, and escorted her out of the building into the waiting limo.

Amanda glanced at her watch, realizing that twenty minutes had passed, since the limo had left the hotel and began to maneuver through the busy New York streets. Feeling the limo slowing to a stop, she looked out the tinted window to see the tall building that was their destination. Accepting Mark's hand for assistance in getting out of the car, she took note of the characteristics of the building. It was an older skyscraper—brick layout with white trim around the windows. It reminded her of something described in one of Stephen King's novels. A shiver went down her spine, as she realized that, quite possibly, the object of her assignment took residence in this building.

'Just remember that you're doing this for Lee,' she mentally reminded herself, accepting Mark's hand as they entered the building.

As the elevator door opened on the fifth floor, Mark waved his hand for her to exit the elevator before him. "Does your friend have an office here?" Amanda kept her eyes focused on the plush, dark green carpet beneath her feet.

"Yes, we're here." Mark opened the office door labeled, 'Mesmerize: We help you to relax.'

Amanda hesitated; she glanced up to see the wide smile placed on Mark's lips. "What exactly does your friend do?"

Mark placed his hand on her elbow, and gently pushed her in the door ahead of him. "He runs a very successful massage/hypnosis parlor," Mark explained, as he directed her over to the receptionist desk.

"Can you let Mr. Andre know Mark Dobson is here with Mrs. King?"

"Ah, yes, he's been expecting you. Please take a seat and I'll let him know of your arrival," the woman stated as she picked up the phone. "Mr. Andre, Mr. Dobson is here to see you." She nodded as she listened to the man on the other end of the receiver. Hanging up, she informed them, "He asked that you please be patient; he'll be out momentarily."

Amanda took in her surroundings, while she sat on the velvet red couch next to Mark. The atmosphere of the reception area was quite comforting, and made her body somewhat relax. The walls were a warm yellow, with pictures of sunsets and exotic islands scattered throughout the room. Glancing to the right of the couch, her eyes fell upon one picture that did not fit the rest of the rooms' décor. The moon was at it's fullest, with slight accents of yellow casting over the brilliant stars that circled it. There was a large hand extended from the center of the moon, beckoning you to take it and enter another dimension behind the door. The words at the bottom read, 'Your journey begins through here'.

Amanda turned to look at Mark, who was skimming through a magazine. She sighed, at the relaxed feeling entering her body, and laid her head against the back of the couch. No sooner had she gotten comfortable than the door behind the receptionist opened; a tall dark-haired, gray-eyed man entered the waiting area.

Mark stood and walked over to greet the man. Amanda narrowed her eyes, realizing that he was the same man whom had stopped her from using the phone in the lobby, two days before. Something in the back of her mind was screaming to her that she knew this man. She had seen him before—somewhere before this case. Gathering all the courage she could muster, she rose from the couch and joined Mark.

"Andre, I would like to introduce you to my new associate, Amanda King," Mark said, as she extended her hand.

"Mrs. King, it's a pleasure to see you again," Mr. Andre replied as he accepted her hand and brought it to his lips.

Mark looked from Andre to Amanda and back again with a confused look. "You've met before?"

"I believe he's referring to our meeting in the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton," Amanda whispered.

Mark nodded. "Oh, I see."

"It's nice to officially meet you, Mr. Andre." She gently removed her hand from the man's grasp, and put it in the pocket of her of skirt.

"Please call me Andre. I never did like the mister part." He warmly smiled down at Amanda, and placed her hand in his.

"Andre." Amanda nodded.

"Let's head into one of my relaxation rooms, so we can get better acquainted, shall we?" His voice deepened, almost into a mystical lull. "Let us take a journey into a possible new friendship." Turning, he led them through the door Amanda had studied earlier. A warning again echoed in Amanda's mind, as she felt the hand from the moon drawing her into another dimension, when Andre opened the door.

The door led down a softly lit hallway. She noted that these walls were also filled with relaxing pictures—most of which, centered on stars, planets, and drifting clouds. Andre opened the door at the far end, and motioned for her to enter. She stepped into a room that reminded her of the Agency psychiatrist's office.

"Please have a seat in one of those velvet chairs by the desk." Andre motioned to the other side of the room.

Mark nodded and Amanda followed his lead. Amanda sunk into one of the large empty chairs Andre had pointed to. Her body began to betray her mind, as she began to relax in the comfort of her surroundings.

Andre walked behind her allowing his hand to graze her soft hair that had fallen against the back of the chair. "You look exhausted, my dear. Did you not sleep well?" His voice had just a hint of sarcasm in it, as he took a seat behind his large, dark cheery desk.

"Not too bad, just couldn't seem to sleep. It was probably the after effects from last night's party. Mark introduced me to the Vice-President." Amanda forced her eyes to remain locked with the man before her.

Andre stood from his desk, and again walked behind her. Amanda wanted to follow his overpowering figure, but decided perhaps she might tip her hand if she did so. She smiled sweetly at Mark, and waited for Mr. Andre to continue the conversation. Andre placed a finger to his lips to signal that Mark should keep quiet during the session. "Here, let me try and help you." He started to massage her shoulders. "You seem to be pretty tense, too. Just relax and listen as I talk, okay?"

The feel of his fingers on her shoulders was doing wonders; she couldn't help but let down the last of her barriers to the man behind her. She nodded, giving him the green light to continue.

Andre began speaking in a monotone voice. "I'm going to ask you 'yes' or 'no' questions, but I don't want you to verbally respond. Just nod your head, okay?"

She let her eyes close and nodded again. His fingers were magical; his voice was so relaxing. Her head was screaming for her to remain alert, but her body wanted so much to relax.

"Mark tells me you used to work for the Agency," Andre remarked, his voice keeping its monotone level.

Amanda nodded.

"He tells me you used to be Scarecrow's partner."

At the mention of Lee's code-name, her eyes opened and she started to turn her head.

"Relax, I'm just trying to help you feel comfortable by mentioning things that are familiar to you. Mark seems to enjoy these private session quite well; I hope you will as well." Andre's voice remained monotone, as he continued to massage her shoulders. "Now, close your eyes and relax." He made a mental note to leave any mention of Lee Stetson out of the conversation until she was under his spell completely.

Amanda did as she was asked. She knew she had to go along with the man who now seemed to have power over her thoughts. It was the only way for her to find out who he was, and what he had planned.

Feeling her body relax again, Andre continued with his questions. "Did you leave the Agency willingly?"

Amanda nodded.

Andre let his fingers begin to massage along her neck and finally up to her temples. "Are you feeling relaxed?"

Amanda nodded again.

"Was Dr. Smyth upset with your choice to leave?"

She shook her head, indicating that he wasn't.

"Are you happy with your new career choice?"

Amanda nodded. She felt his fingers moving along her forehead and temples, but his voice was growing more distant. She felt as though she was falling asleep, but knew where she was. She thought about fighting, but she was too relaxed.

"Are you feeling relaxed?"

She nodded.

"Good, now when I count to three I want you to fall into a deep sleep, okay?"

Her mind was urging her not to cooperate with the lulling voice, but his massaging was too methodical, and her body surrendered to his magic. So, she nodded.

Keeping his voice monotone and his fingers rubbing her temples, he slowly counted, "One…Two…Three." He watched as her body went limp in the chair. He looked over at Mark and motioned him to retrieve the box from the other room.

He continued to move his fingers in circles over her forehead, while he waited for Mark to enter the other room. As soon as the door closed behind Mark, he moved onto the next stage of his questioning. "Good. Now I will ask you some more questions, and I want you to answer me in words, okay?"

"Okay," Amanda answered in a voice that was hers, but definitely not one in control of her own words.

"Was Scarecrow upset with you leaving?" Andre began with is string of questions.

"Yes, he was," she responded.

"Did he try and talk you out of it?"

"No, not really."

"Not really. Interesting. Weren't you close?"

"Yes," Amanda replied, still under his spell.

Andre noted that she hadn't reacted to the mention of Stetson and knew she was definitely under his spell. "So, he didn't try and make you stay?"

"No, he only wanted to understand my reasons," she responded

"And what were the reasons you gave him?" Andre asked, removing his hands from their position along her temples.

"I told him that I was leaving to protect my family from any harm that might come from my involvement with the Agency." Amanda leaned back against his touch.

"What was his response to that?" Andre raised his eyebrows.

"He said he understood," Amanda responded.

"Mark tells me that Scarecrow was quite upset with you for being with him last night. Can you explain that?"

"It wasn't my leaving the Agency he was upset with; it was my leaving _him_ that caused his anger."

"By leaving him…how do you mean?" Andre continued his probing into her life.

"I broke off our relationship. I had to do it; I had to protect him," Amanda voice cracked.

"So, your taking a job at Internal Affairs with Mark Dobson is all a cover, then? Are you trying to keep Scarecrow from being the next agent killed?" Andre waited for the answer he was positive she'd give.

Amanda nodded. "Yes."

"Is your relationship with Scarecrow more than a working relationship?" Andre moved his fingers to her shoulders.

Amanda nodded again. "Yes."

"Can you get close to him?" Andre whispered next to her ear.

Amanda shook her head. "I'm not sure—he's very angry with me."

Andre continued to speak softly in her ear. "If you tell him the truth about all of this, I'm sure he'll be understanding."

"I don't want to lose his love," Amanda sighed.

Mark reentered the room carrying a small tin box. "You are going to feel a slight sting in your arm; similar to a bee sting." Amanda nodded her understanding as Andre accepted the box from Mark, and retrieved the needle from within it.

"Now, I want you to forget about the discussion we have just had, and remember _only_ the instructions I'm about to give you. Do you understand?" Andre withdrew the needle from her arm.

Amanda nodded again.

An evil smile crossed Andre's lips. Things were going quite well. She would be the perfect pawn to remove Stetson. "I want you to tell Lee Stetson the truth behind you leaving the Agency, and him. I want you to resume your love affair with him, and get him to drop his guard. I want you to use Stetson's own gun to kill him. Can you do this?"

Amanda hesitated and shook her head no.

Andre removed the vial from the tin box and refilled the needle. As he emptied the syringe into her arm he said, "You will _kill_, Lee Stetson."

Mark stood close to Amanda, watching the emotions battle within her flash across her face. Andre emptied the remainder of the vial into the syringe. Mark held up his hand fearing that more would kill her. "With what I put in her coffee, and the added dose you just gave her it could…"

Andre narrowed his eyes at his employee. He had allowed his anger to cloud his judgment.

Andre placed his hands back on her forehead and began massaging again. "Will you get Stetson to drop his guard?" he asked once more.

Mesmerized once again, she responded, "Yes, I can get him to drop his guard."

Andre continued to rub her temples. "Good. Then, you will take his gun, and kill him with it."

"Yes, I will take his gun," she replied.

"And you will pull the trigger and kill Lee Stetson?" Andre methodically rubbed her temples as he gave this order once more.

"Yes, I will shoot Lee Stetson," she responded without hesitation this time.

"Understand, that if anything goes wrong, and you do not kill Lee Stetson, someone else will. If you fail, I will kill you," Andre stated, his voice remained monotone, but his words were a little harsher this time. "Either kill Lee Stetson, or be killed yourself. Is this clear?"

"Yes, I will kill," Amanda replied.

"When you awake, you will leave here and go with Mark. Mark will take you to the airport, where you will take a flight back to D.C, and go directly to Lee Stetson's apartment. If he is not there, you will wait for him. If you succeed in your mission, you will return here tomorrow on the 11a.m. flight. Meet Mark at the Ritz-Carlton for further instructions. Is this clear?" Andre finished giving his orders.

"Yes," she responded.

Andre stopped rubbing her temples. "On the count of three, you will awake feeling relaxed. You will only remember your mission and nothing that has occurred here. You will feel relaxed, and remember only of your mission. "One…two…three."

Amanda's eyes opened. She looked around at her surroundings, and let her eyes fall on Mark. "I believe you need to take me to the airport," she stated as she stood up from the chair.

Andre smiled and nodded in Mark's direction. "Make sure she gets on her flight safely." His eyes told Mark that no delaying was allowed, just in case his young associate thought it might be fun to take advantage of the woman in her current state of mind.

Mark rose and walked over to wrap his arms around her waist. He led her out the door, and down to the waiting limo.

Andre held a wicked smile on his lips at the thought of finally being able to seek his revenge. He not only would kill his number one enemy, but also do it by the hand of the woman he loved. Amanda King was not going to be a problem soon after her mission was completed. The drug he had just introduced to her body would kill her within forty-eight hours. He had the antidote in his possession, and fully intended on giving it to Amanda, should she accomplish this task. "Things are working out quite nicely. If all goes as I have planned, I may just use Mrs. King for a few other assignments. In the meantime, I have just a few more loose ends to tie up." His laughter filled the room as he picked up the phone.

Chapter 12

Lee awoke to find his long body wedged in his couch. Rubbing his eyes, he stood and stretched the kinks out of his legs and arms. He looked down at his coffee table and saw the empty bottle of scotch. He gingerly moved his hands to his head to relieve the pounding.

"I'm getting too old for these late night drinking binges," he declared to himself.

His stomach released a loud grumble and demanded food. Rubbing his stomach, he tried to remember the last time he had eaten anything. He decided to give in to his body's demands and walked towards his kitchen. Looking at his watch, he noticed it was almost noon.

Opening the refrigerator, he realized once again just how much Amanda did for him in his life. Since she hadn't been around to look after things, his food supply was much worse off than Kevin's was. All he had was a bottle of wine and what appeared to be a month old sandwich. He removed the bottle and stared at it. What was it that Amanda had said to him last night? "You could never be happy with just hamburgers and wine." Where had he heard that before?

"That's it!" he exclaimed to the empty room. He thought back to the Russell Sinclair case. That was what he had promised her when he was hiding out at her house, pretending to be dead to draw out the psycho who was killing the agents. Before Amanda's family had come home, he asked her to pick up a bottle of wine to have with hamburgers—kind of a "normal dinner."

Amanda _had_ given him a clue. He had been too wrapped up in his own emotions, to see through the hurtful words she had spoken. He glanced, once again, at the empty bottle of scotch on the coffee table. "Hell! Billy even put Kevin right under my nose as a reminder of what I was like and how much I've changed because of Amanda. He was telling me to hang on," Lee reasoned, as he placed the wine back in the refrigerator. "I knew it! Smyth _has_ assigned her to the recent agents' murders."

Grabbing his coat and keys, he ran out of his apartment, intent on getting to the bottom of things. His first instinct was to head over to Amanda's and search for some other possible clues.

As Lee turned the corner onto Maplewood Drive, he was surprised to see Joe and the boys standing outside the house. Parking his car across the street, Lee walked over to them.

"Hi, Joe," Lee greeted Amanda's ex-husband.

"Lee, what are you doing here?" Joe asked, raising his eyebrows in confusion.

"I just happened to be in the neighborhood, and thought I'd drive by and see if Amanda was home," Lee innocently replied.

Jamie and Phillip looked at their dad, then at Lee. Joe saw the questions in his boy's faces and made the introduction, "Jamie, Phillip, this is an old co-worker of your mother's, Lee Stetson."

"Hey, you're the guy that our mom ran off with when the feds came to our house, aren't you?" Phillip asked, intrigued.

"Yeah, that was me. It's nice to finally meet you boys. I've heard a lot about you both from your mom," Lee smiled warmly, extending his hand for them to shake.

"Mom's not here, and Dad won't let us go into the house," Jamie informed him, as he accepted Lee's hand.

Lee turned to their father, "Joe, what's wrong?" he asked, the concern evident in his voice.

"Boys, go on and play on your sleds for awhile," Joe suggested. "I need to talk to Mr. Stetson alone."

"Okay, Dad," Jamie replied, and headed down the street a ways. Phillip picked up his sled and followed his brother.

Once the boys were out of earshot, Lee turned his attention back to Joe.

"I brought the boys home to get a few things. When I pulled up, I noticed the front door was ajar. I told the boys to head straight for the garage to get their sleds then I headed into the house. It's been ransacked, Lee," Joe explained, looking directly at the agent.

Lee eyes widened at the realization hit him at the danger Amanda was now in. "Ransacked?" He turned and headed towards the front door.

"Yeah, every room downstairs has been turned upside-down. Why would someone go through Amanda's house?" Joe followed the distressed man.

Lee entered the house and stopped. Joe hadn't exaggerated about his description. Every room appeared to be in shambles.

"I saw this," Joe nodded towards the family room, "and I called the police." He then proceeded to walk around the now motionless Lee into the den.

"The police? Why didn't you—" Lee started to protest but then remembered whom he was talking to.

"Yeah, the police. Who else was I going to call? Amanda doesn't work with you anymore, Lee," Joe answered and then paused. He looked around the room, and realization dawned on him. He turned and looked at Amanda's _past_ partner. "She isn't working for the Agency anymore. Is she!"

Lee shrugged his shoulders. "I can't answer that, Joe. I'm trying to figure that out myself," he replied, looking around the room. "Damn!" Lee looked at what remained of the Christmas tree.

"What?" Joe asked, following Lee's intense gaze.

"I know how much Amanda loved her tree," Lee whispered as he picked up an angel ornament from the floor.

Joe carefully stepped over the mangled packages to follow Lee to the tree. "Why would anyone open the kid's presents?" Joe picked up a sweater Amanda had gotten Jamie.

"I don't know, Joe. But you can be damn sure I'm going to find out." Just as Lee bent down to inspect the packages, a siren wailed out front. "That'll be the police. Joe, why don't you go and give them your statement," he suggested.

Joe hesitated. He wasn't sure he was entirely comfortable leaving the spy alone in his ex-wife's home. "I expect some answers, Stetson." He reluctantly turned and headed towards the front door.

Lee turned his attention back to the tree. A red package with gold ribbon, absently tossed to the side, caught his eye. The gift tag most clearly read "To Matthew, with love, Jennifer."

"Why would Amanda wrap a gift with my parent's name on it?" Lee wondered as he gently touched the gold ribbon. "Now I know there is more to this than meets the eye," Lee told the small package. Picking it up, he took off his coat and wrapped it around the package, just as the police officers entered with Joe.

Pulling out his government I.D., he flashed it at the officers. "I'm afraid this is government business, officers. We'll take over from here. Thank you for your time."

One of the officers turned to Joe saying, "Excuse me, but if you knew a government agent was investigating, why did you give us your statement?"

"I'm sorry, officer, I didn't realize he was," Joe replied, turning a confused and angry look towards Lee.

"Joe, go on and take your boys back to your place. I'll take care of everything here." Lee headed to the phone to call Billy. "Again, thank you for your time, officers," Lee called out as the policemen made their way to the front door.

"I can't say I'm happy about this, Lee," Joe stated. "What do you guys have Amanda working on that she would feel the need to lie to me?"

"Joe, I don't have any answers, yet. Believe me, I plan on getting to the bottom of whatever this is," Lee replied. His voice mirrored the agitation that Joe's had.

"Hmm...It makes a little more sense now," Joe remarked, remembering the conversation he had had with Amanda the other morning.

"What?"

"I guess it's nothing, really. Just that Amanda seemed overly worried the morning she was leaving for Atlanta. She told me to take care of the boys if—" Joe paused when he saw the look of anger cross Lee's face.

"Damn it! There _is_ going to be hell to pay!" Lee exclaimed. Turning to Amanda's ex, he said, "Joe, please take the boys back to your place. I have some business I need to take care of."

"All right. Tell Amanda to call me as soon as she can, okay?" Joe turned and headed out of the house, leaving Lee alone.

As he dialed the numbers, he realized the lines might be tapped. He waited to make sure Joe and the boys had left before he headed out to his car to call Billy.

Tossing his coat into the passenger seat, he dialed the Agency.

"Scarecrow, here. I need to be put through to Melrose!" Lee demanded, holding his anger slightly in check.

"I'm sorry, sir. Mr. Melrose is in a meeting," the secretary informed him.

"I don't give a damn if he's meeting with the President himself. This is a priority Alpha One." Lee let his fury loose.

"Yes, sir." The secretary placed him on hold and informed Mr. Melrose.

A few moments later, Billy came on the line. "Lee, where are you?"

"Billy, I want some answers, NOW! And don't you DARE give me the run around this time. I know Amanda is working undercover," Lee shouted into the phone.

"Lee—"

"Don't 'Lee' me. I'm at Amanda's and her house has been turned upside-down. Not to mention that Joe told me Amanda was worried. She wanted to make sure he would take care of her boys while she was in ATLANTA!"

"Scarecrow—"

"Atlanta, Billy. Atlanta, which I know is a lie, because I saw her last night in New York. Why the HELL is Amanda working without backup? I want answers! She's investigating these Agency murders alone, isn't she?" Lee continued to shout.

"SCARECROW!" Billy shouted into the phone.

"Damn it, Billy! Just get a team over here NOW! I'm on my way to the Agency," Lee ordered and hung up the phone.

Two hours later, Lee arrived back at his apartment. Billy hadn't told him everything, he was sure of it, but he was now much more relieved to know that Amanda was working undercover. He knew, however, that Billy was still hiding something. His boss wouldn't come clean about why Amanda was on this one without him.

He threw his coat onto the couch and started to head into his bedroom. He stopped when the package from Amanda fell onto the floor. Crossing over to the couch, he picked it up. He realized just how light the package really was. Sitting down, he undid the wrapping paper. He felt a little guilty, but he had to know what Amanda would have gotten him if she really had intended to break things off.

Inside the box was a letter:

_My dearest Lee,_

_If you are reading this, then in some aspect or another, I am no longer a part of your life. I wanted you to understand why I did everything I did. Dr. Smyth came to Mr. Melrose and me while you were away in London. I am sure you are aware of the string of agents being killed recently. The murders are based on some type of master list. The Agency doesn't have a complete list of the agents, but your name is on what they have. I went undercover to try and find out who is responsible for this, and prevent you from reaching the top of the list. I couldn't live with the knowledge that you would be eventually hunted down, and killed. Not when I could have done something to prevent it. Please know that I never stopped loving you. You are my soul mate. We were brought together by fate, three years ago, at that train station. Unfortunately, the higher powers have made our time together short, and my destiny has taken a different path from yours. I hope you can forgive me for hurting you, and know that I only did it with your best interest at heart._

_With love forever,_

_Amanda_

Lee sat there staring at the letter. He couldn't move. That was what Billy hadn't wanted to tell him. Amanda was trying to save him. That was why Billy had sent him to New York, thinking that Amanda was in Atlanta.

Lee went into his bedroom and headed for the shower. Amanda was in New York without any backup, and he may have caused her cover to be placed in jeopardy with his little scene last night. All he needed to do was shower and make reservations to head back to New York City. He could keep an eye on her from the shadows. His luggage was still in the trunk of his car, and he certainly didn't plan on getting permission from Billy to help his partner. He smiled at the thought, 'I knew she never stopped being my partner.'

Lee stepped into the bathroom and turned on the water. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, he thought of how lucky he was to have a woman such as Amanda love him. He had never had anyone love him as she did. He quickly undressed and jumped in the shower.

Ten minutes later, he was back in his bedroom getting dressed. Placing his gun holster on, he heard a soft knock at the door.

He pulled his gun from its holster and checked to make sure that it was fully loaded. He placed it back, keeping a protective hand over it, and went to answer the door. His mouth dropped when he opened the door, and saw Amanda standing on the other side.

"Amanda…I thought… you were in New York?" Lee stuttered.

"Well, I'm not anymore. Aren't you gonna invite me in?" Amanda asked, pleasantly.

"Sure, come in." Lee wasn't certain what to make of this change in her demeanor. There was something in the way Amanda looked at him that told him all was not right with her. "So, what brings you back from New York? I thought you'd be out dancing with Mark?"

"I need to talk to you." Amanda walked in and sat down on his couch. "Mark dismissed me. After that scene last night, he knew there was more to our relationship than just a partnership, and so, he fired me."

Lee just stared at Amanda. Something was definitely up. She was too rigid, too something, but he couldn't place his finger on exactly what it was. He decided to play along. "So, you decided you'd come crawling back to me. I bet you want your old job back as well?" he replied, with just a hint of anger in his voice.

"Well, I know it's hind sight, but I realized how much I missed our partnership. Come sit by me, and let me explain a few things. I mean really explain," she said in a sultry voice.

'Just what is she up to?' Lee wondered to himself as he cautiously walked over to her. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and tell her he knew everything, but warning bells were going off.

Amanda looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please, Lee, sit down. I really owe you an explanation."

Lee sat down next to her, and she eagerly took his hands in hers.

"Lee, I want to start off by telling you how sorry I really am. When I saw you last night at the Vice-President's party, I didn't know how else to get rid of you. I figured if I threw myself at Mark, it would be easier for you to believe that I didn't want you around anymore," she began explaining. She moved a little closer to him and turned herself so she was facing him.

"Amanda, look, you don't owe me any explanation. Billy told me everything today. I know you've been working undercover," Lee informed her.

"Oh, Lee. Then you know why I said everything I did. Can you forgive me?" she asked as she seductively slid her hands up along his arms, wrapping them around his neck. She leaned in to place a kiss on his lips.

Lee hesitated, but it had been so long, and he so desperately wanted to kiss her back. Ignoring the warnings his mind was giving him, he leaned in to meet her lips.

As their lips met, Amanda removed her hand from around his neck and slowly let it slide down his arm and across his chest. She knew he was reacting to her seductive ploys when his hands wander down her back. She seized the opportunity, and grabbed his gun.

Breaking apart from their embrace, she jumped up with his gun in her hand. "Okay, Stetson, enough hanky panky. Get up."

Lee just sat there stunned. He was absolutely positive that it was Amanda that stood before him. No imposter could possibly make his body react so passionately. The taste of her lips, and the feel of her skin against his, made it undeniable that it was the love of his life. But as he looked into her clouded eyes, he realized she was not in control of the situation.

"I said stand up. Come on, I don't have all day," Amanda ordered, aiming the gun at his chest.

Lee did as she requested. As he stood, he looked closer at her and realized that he had seen that glazed look on her face once before—it was when the Agency had gone into Operation Possum. She was under hypnosis.

"That's better. Now, turn around and head on into the bedroom," she stated in a monotone voice.

Lee started walking. When he reached his bedroom, he turned around to look into her eyes. "Amanda, come on. It's me, Lee. I know you aren't yourself. I know you wouldn't be able to live with yourself if you were to kill me. You don't want to do this," he pleaded with her. He had to come up with a way to get through the barriers.

"I'm doing what I was ordered to do, so just keep quiet, and we can get this over with quickly. Now, head on into the bathroom and turn the water on."

"Amanda, please listen to me. I love you. I know you love me. We were meant to be together." He moved closer, keeping his eyes locked with hers. "I love you. I know you never stopped loving me."

Something in her mind registered; he saw it in her eyes, so he kept talking. "That's right, I love you. _Please,_ Amanda, give me the gun, and we can figure out just what kind of spell they have you under."

"Don't come any closer, Lee." Amanda changed the angle the gun was pointing.

"That's right, come on give me the gun, Amanda." He knew he was getting through to her. "That's right, come on now. I know you love me, and you don't want to kill me." He moved another step towards her.

"I said don't come any closer." She lifted the gun and pointed it at her own head, releasing the safety.

Lee stopped, frozen in his tracks. His heart was beating a mile a minute now. If he moved too quickly, she'd be gone from him forever. The last few days had been nothing but a complete nightmare.

"Amanda, you don't want to do this. Think of Phillip. Think of Jamie. What would they do without you? You're _their_ mother," Lee pleaded again. He had to get through to her.

Amanda looked into his eyes at the sound of her son's names. "Lee, I have to pull this trigger. I can't let you die. I love you. I can end this all now by taking my own life. Joe promised to care for my children. They would be much happier with their father, than to be cared for by a killer. I have to do as I was told. I must kill. I can't control—" Amanda's hand began to shake.

Lee swallowed the fear that was lodged in his throat. He was going to lose the one thing in his life he had ever loved by her own had. Lee locked his eyes with hers. "God, Amanda. I love you. Your sons love you. Don't you _dare_ leave us behind! We'd be lost without you." He stepped closer to her. He could feel her quick breaths caress his face.

"I can't stop this, Lee. I must kill. I have to kill." Amanda closed her eyes as she prepared to meet her maker.

"No, Amanda! I'm here with you. Together we can do anything," Lee pleaded as he flexed his fingers at his side. He would have to remove the gun from her hand before she let go of the trigger.

"Goodbye, my love." A single tear ran down her cheek as she started to pull the trigger.

To Be Continued….


	7. Part 7

See Part 1 for Disclaimers, Notes, etc.

Chapter 13

Lee's hand snaked out to knock the gun from Amanda's hand in the same instant that she screamed and pulled it away from her head. The violent report echoed through the room as the weapon flew across the room. He pushed her to the floor as the bullet shattered his bathroom mirror, showering them both with glass.

Lee wrapped his arms protectively around her as he carried her to the bed. "Amanda. Amanda," he whispered, gently stroking her hair, trying to pull her out of her unconscious state.

"LEE!" Amanda jerked up in the bed, catching him off guard and nearly throwing him to the floor.

Lee quickly returned to her side. "Shh... It's okay. It's okay." Lee held her tightly to his body.

"Lee. Are you all right! What happened?" Amanda returned his embrace as she allowed the tears to flow freely.

"I have you in my arms. I'm fine." He turned his head slightly, resting his cheek protectively against the top of her head, and gently rocked her in his arms.

"Oh, my Gosh! Lee...I almost..."she sobbed into his broad chest.

Lee began stroking her hair. "Shh...It's over."

Amanda pulled back slightly from his embrace. Placing a shaky hand on his cheek, she began to explain. "Oh, Lee, I don't know what happened. One minute I was in this office with Mark, and his friend, Mr. Andre. Mr. Andre invited us into one of his offices. It was so mystical, with all the pictures calling out to me. Something kept telling me to stay alert, but then Mr. Andre's hands started to massage my shoulders, to try and help me relax. I know I know him from somewhere, but I can't remember from where…does that make any sense?"

A small smile crossed Lee's face as he listened to his Amanda's rambling. Her trembling had slowed, and the fact that she was speaking fast told him that she was going to be all right. He took her hand in his and placed a soft kiss on her palm.

"The next thing I knew, I was standing here, aiming a gun at you. Oh, Lee…I've hated lying to you. Dr. Smyth told me I didn't have any choice. Telling you to leave me was the hardest thing I ever had to do." Amanda wrapped her arms around him, treasuring the comfort his strong arms provided.

"Amanda, I know everything. Billy told me most of it, and then I read your letter," Lee explained as he continued to hold her.

She pulled away from his grasp and turned to look into his eyes. "You read the letter? But…how?"

"Well, this morning, I went to my fridge and saw a bottle of wine. Then I remembered you mentioning hamburgers and wine, and I realized it had to be a clue," he explained.

Smiling up at him, she nodded, acknowledging her subtle message. "I was afraid you wouldn't pick up on that last night. You didn't the first time I said it. It was all I could think of that you and I would both know." Then, as she thought more about what he had just said, she raised her eyebrows in confusion. "I admit I was giving you a clue, but I don't see how a bottle of wine prompted you to go over to my house…?"

"Well—" Lee brushed aside a strand of hair that was hanging over her eyes. "I knew you were trying to tell me something, so I figured you left me a message at your house. I went over there and was surprised to find Joe standing outside with the boys. Apparently, someone else had already beat me to it."

Amanda stared at him, her eyes growing wider. " Someone broke into my house! Oh, my Gosh! The _boys_! Are they okay?" she exclaimed, jumping up from the bed, intent on seeing her children.

"Come on, sit back down," Lee smiled warmly, patting the bed for her to return. "They're fine. They have no idea what happened; Joe made sure of that. Billy sent a crew over to your house to try and figure out who was behind it. My guess is that they either found what they were looking for or they wanted to scare you."

Amanda let out a sigh of relief; then worry set back in. "Oh no! Joe. He must know then that I never left the Agency. I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do." She sighed, lowering her head into her hands. "I just can't handle this by myself, anymore."

Lee got up from his seat and knelt on the floor in front of her. He placed his finger under her chin and raised her head. Looking into her eyes, he said, "Amanda King, I am now, and will always be, your partner. You don't have to do anything by yourself, again. I love you, do you understand?"

"You still love me, even after all the hurtful things I said to you? After what you saw last night at the party?"

"Amanda, I told you all of this before. You're my life! You are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with," he reassured her as he leaned in and placed a tender kiss on her lips. Looking closer at her face, he saw the sadness still implanted in her features. "I mean that with all my heart."

Amanda looked into his eyes and knew that he was sincere. "But, how can you forgive everything…?"

Lee pulled himself up and sat back on the bed beside her. He thought back to all the things she had said to him. She had brought up how he might have to run off for weeks or even months at a time on some classified assignment; her insecurity with his past relationships. Taking her hand in his, he tried to look into her troubled, brown eyes. "Amanda, look at me." Reluctantly, she turned herself to face him. "I admit, the words stung-even— hurt, but if I think back on what you said, even though you were trying to push me away, you kept throwing truth in your statements."

Amanda raised her eyebrows in confusion. "All I can remember is that I had to say something…tell you something—to get you to leave. When you asked me if I still loved you, I couldn't lie to you…I hated saying any of that to you." A new set of tears threatened to return to her eyes.

"Do you remember saying that every time I leave, you fear that I won't come back?" Lee watched as Amanda nodded. "Don't you think I hate the fact that you're still considered an 'agent in training' and can't accompany me?"

"But, Lee, I only said those things to make it seem like I really wanted to end things." Amanda tried to explain.

"Amanda, I know you. I know that no matter what you were trying to do, you couldn't say something that wasn't at least, partially true. You really do fear that I'll leave you, and never come back, don't you?" Lee gently caressed her cheek.

Amanda tugged on her lower lip with her teeth as she looked into the face of the man she loved. She thought back to what she had said and realized that, to some degree, maybe she really did feel that way. Taking Lee's hands into hers, she began, "Lee, maybe I do feel that way— a little. But, please understand that I love you, and I would never push you away…not because of _my_ fears. I know that there is always a chance that neither of us will come home. It's a risk we take everyday." She looked down at their hands before continuing, "I hated saying any of those things to you. I hated having to kiss Mark in front of you. I kept hoping that—"

Lee pulled his left hand from hers and put a finger to her lips. "Amanda. I realize that that was all part of your cover. I'd say you played the peacock dance quite well." He smiled at her. "I know how hard it is to have the one you love listening while you try to 'seduce' someone else." He looked into her eyes to see that she realized what he was referring to.

She pulled her gaze from his and looked towards the wall. "Lee, I knew you were just doing your job when you were with Sonja. You had no idea that I was just playing a part."

Lee gently guided her face to look back at him. "Amanda King, I could see it in your eyes. Last night, at the party, when you were telling me once again to leave you alone, I could see the love in your eyes. The words stung, I can't lie to you about that. But, the way you looked at me, I had to keep telling myself that you were working on something. I couldn't believe—I would never believe—that you didn't love me."

Amanda allowed herself to look into his eyes. "Lee, promise me that we will never have to lie to each other again. Promise me that no matter what Dr. Smyth, or anyone else, asks of us, we will never, ever, put each other through this again," she pleaded.

"I think we can keep that promise. You know me, I have no problem breaking the rules." He flashed her a grin.

"I'm serious, Lee. This has been the hardest assignment I've ever had to deal with. Knowing that I had to lie to you, and not really knowing if you'd ever be able to forgive me once you knew the truth," she scolded him.

He leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'll try and be more serious. Speaking of being serious, I do have one question. Why weren't you able to tell me more, to include me?"

She looked into his hazel eyes and nodded. "You know that Dr. Smyth approached Mr. Melrose and me while you were gone. A few of Dr. Smyth's informants found out that Mark seemed to be on the take. Dr. Smyth noted that he had an interest in me, and thought that I would be perfect for the assignment. So, I befriended Mark. About a week before you came back, Dr. Smyth pulled Mr. Melrose and I into the office one night. Mr. Melrose was afraid that you would return home early…he knew you were getting disgusted with your current assignment…"

Amanda paused as she noticed Lee adamantly nodding his agreement. Sighing, she continued, "Well, Mr. Melrose and I both felt it was best to tell you what was going on before you came home. We didn't want to keep you in the dark. However, Dr. Smyth firmly told us that if we did, it would mean not only my job, but Mr. Melrose's too. His explanation was that 'Scarecrow has proven that when it comes to Mrs. King, he can not sit back and let the operation go on as planned.'" She stopped once more and let her eyes close and then re-open, before finishing, "I didn't really care about my job; I only cared about your safety. But when he threatened Mr. Melrose's job, I agreed. Mr. Melrose has done so much for us --and I couldn't just--"

"I'm a professional, Amanda. I would've just made sure that you were safe!" Lee protested.

Amanda smoothed his hair with her hand, allowing her fingers to linger in the soft strands. "Lee, I know you're a professional, the best agent around, but you're also a man."

Lee shook his head. "I'm not quite following you here." He, once again, placed her hands in his. "I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize your safety."

"That's what Mr. Melrose and I both insisted, but Smyth brought up what happened during the Addi Birol case."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Lee's voice held a hint of anger at the audacity of Smyth bringing up that case.

"You took the case into your own hands, disregarding direct orders to stay out of it. You even involved other agents without proper authority." Amanda tightened her grip on his hand.

Lee stood, running his fingers through his hair. "I had to get you away from that madman. I couldn't just sit there and let him kill you."

"Exactly. Smyth may be crude in his ways, but he was right. He reasoned that if you became fearful for my safety, you would've run in and taken me out of the situation without thinking twice about it. You would have let your temper get in the way of your judgment." Amanda stood and placed her hand on his shoulder. "You know he was right."

Lee turned to face her. "Would that have been so bad?"

"Lee, you have to understand. I wanted so desperately to tell you. I never wanted to hurt you, but I also couldn't let you protect me this time. I was the one who was out to protect you—"

"Amanda—"

Amanda placed her finger to his lips. "No, Lee. It wasn't just my safety, or your safety, on the line this time. A lot of agents are dying, and I'm the only one in the position to help." Amanda sighed and returned to sit on the bed. "Unfortunately, keeping you in the dark, seems to have worked against us. Maybe if we _had_ pulled you in, what happened here tonight might not have happened." She placed her head in her hands.

Lee watched the woman he loved struggle with her emotions. He knew that things had turned out badly, but in the end they had found each other again. He needed to reassure her that everything was going to be all right. Kneeling in front of her, he placed his hand on her chin and tilted her face to meet his loving gaze. "You would risk you own life to protect me…to protect others." Lee calmly stated.

Amanda looked into his eyes, seeing all the love she cherished in them. "Yes."

"I love you so much, Amanda. I realize in the job that we have, sometimes it's necessary to keep things hidden, but I promise that from now own, we'll do our best to keep our true feelings known. No matter what the Agency tells us, okay?"

"Yes." Amanda smiled warmly.

Rising from the floor, he said, "Stay right there." Walking over to his dresser, he pulled out the blue velvet box.

Heading back to the bed, he knelt down on one knee in front of Amanda. "Amanda King, you are the best, the bravest, most beautiful woman I have ever known. Will you marry me?"

"You still want to, after all that's happened?" she asked as a small smile crossed her lips.

"If anything, I've learned just how much you'd go through to prove your love for me. Yes, I want you to be Mrs. Lee Stetson, now more than ever. Will you marry me?"

"Oh, yes, I'll marry you. I guess we really are the luckiest two people on the face of the Earth," she replied, as a tear of joy slid down her cheek.

Lee took her left hand in his and gently placed the ring back on the finger where it so rightfully belonged. As he did, Amanda moved her gaze from the ring to Lee's eyes. She saw in them the love that she had feared, not long ago, would have be gone forever.

"True love never dies," she whispered and moved her hands to cup his face. Leaning in, she placed a kiss on his lips and released the passion she had wanted to bestow three days earlier. He eagerly accepted her kiss and returned it with the same intense passion.

Sliding her hands along his face to his shoulders, she invited him to rise. Lee didn't hesitate. In one fluid motion, he rose from the floor and leaned down with her as she lay back on the bed.

They began to explore each other in a gentle but passionate urgency. Lee renewed the fervent kiss they had shared moments before, as Amanda roughly pulled his shirttail from his pants. She slid her hands along the bare skin of his back, pulling him closer to her body.

Lee let his hands wander down her arms and back up her sides. Feeling her warm hands exploring his flesh, he released her mouth and looked into her passion-filled eyes. "Amanda, I need you."

"Make love to me, Lee." Amanda whispered huskily as she quickly undid the buttons of his shirt.

Lee released an animal growl as her lips found his neck and began to place kisses down his bare chest. Her lips grazed across each of his hardened nipples as she made her way down to his waist. Lee needed to feel her bare skin next to his. He pulled back and sat next to her on the bed. "May I?" Lee asked as he began to unbutton her blouse.

Amanda nodded, keeping her eyes fastened to his. Lee's face became serious as he looked at her soft pale skin. "Are you okay?" she asked, noticing his expression.

"You're really here, and you're all mine." Lee tenderly touched her soft skin with his fingers.

"Yes, I really am." Amanda wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her.

She reveled in his strength, the hardness of his shoulders, the power of his arms, all held in check in deference to her fragility. His heart pounded against her own, while his hands cherished her tenderly, stroking her, discovering her. Their eyes locked as their bodies joined in that wonderful union as old as time.

As their breathing slowed, they remained locked together, enjoying their new intimacy.

"I love you, Amanda. I have never felt so complete," he whispered into her ear.

"I love you, too," she whispered back.

Regretfully, he pulled out of her warm haven and rolled onto his back. Amanda curled herself alongside his body and rested her head on his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, Lee grinned. "Now this is the welcome home I had anticipated."

Amanda turned her head to look at him. "This is the way I had planned on welcoming you home, but..."

"Shh...it's okay. We're back where we belong, with each other." He hugged her to him and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you," she whispered, rising to place a kiss on his lips. She lowered her head back onto his chest and closed her eyes. The exhaustion of the last few days had finally caught up to her. Feeling safe and at peace for the first time in a month, she drifted off to sleep.

Lee gently rubbed his hand up and down her arm and listened to her even breathing. He thought about just how much his Amanda had been willing to go through to ensure his safety. He didn't know exactly what she had endured or what their next steps would be, but at the moment he didn't care. Right now, all he cared about was the woman in his arms and that her heart was still his. He smiled at the thought and closed his eyes, letting sleep take him as well.

Amanda awoke a few hours later, still in Lee's arms. She gently touched his face, reveling in how peaceful he looked at that moment. Looking down at her left hand, she smiled as she realized that she hadn't dreamed any of it. They were together, and only hours before, they had proven their love for one another. Amanda gently stroked his chest as the memory of the feelings Lee had evoked from her body only hours before ran through her mind. She had never felt that way with any man. She had lost all control and let him take her to a new level of passion. They truly had become one person when they made love.

Lee shifted slightly in the bed as her name came to his lips. Amanda smiled, knowing he was dreaming of her. "Shh…everything's going to be all right," she whispered as she gently moved his arm from around her waist and wriggled out of bed.

She glanced at the clock and realized it was already past eleven. Picking up his shirt, she pulled it on and glanced back at the slumbering man, then headed towards the bathroom.

As she looked around the room, she realized how close she had come to ending their life together. She had been sent to kill Lee. A shudder went through her body as she looked at the shattered glass on the floor. She knelt and began to pick up the glistening fragments and felt hot tears cascade down her face. Lee had forgiven her so easily for lying to him, for trying to take his life. She dropped the fragments in the trashcan and placed her head in her hands. "How are we going to get out of this one?"

Chapter 14

Lee opened his eyes to find Amanda no longer in his bed. For a brief moment, he thought that maybe it had all been a dream. Sitting up, he saw their scattered clothes lying around his room and knew that it had all been real.

"Amanda?" he called out.

She hurriedly wiped the tears from her face with the palms of her hands, then stood and glanced around the corner of the door at Lee. "I'm in here."

"Want to come back to bed?" Lee asked, mischievously as he flung the covers back on her side.

"Just a minute." Amanda ran cool water in the sink and splashed some on her face.

"Are you okay?" Lee asked when he heard the water running.

"Yes… no." She shook her head as she walked out of the bathroom and sat next to him on the bed.

"What do you mean? You don't regret us making love, do you?" Lee wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she tucked her head under his chin and against his chest.

"No, Lee! I would never change the fact that we made love. It's the only thing that's right in my life right now." Amanda pulled back and looked into his worried eyes.

Lee held her gaze. "I just didn't want to rush you into it. I wanted it to be special…"

Amanda gently caressed his jaw and placed a light kiss on his lips. "It was more than special. It will always be more than special between us."

Lee leaned forward to prolong the contact, opening his mouth and intensifying the quick kiss rapidly. Amanda moaned as he laid her back on the bed, pinning her with his weight. "I love you, Amanda."

"I love you, too." Amanda ran her fingers through his hair as she felt the heat grow between them.

"Lee..." Amanda whispered as he started to unbutton the shirt she was wearing and began to seek her sensitive spots along her neck and down her body.

"Mmm…." Lee gently ran his tongue down the valley of her chest.

Amanda closed her eyes against the electricity that was running through her body. "Lee…I was supposed to have killed you."

Lee pulled his head up to look at the tears forming in her eyes. He rolled to his side and pulled her into his strong arms.

"But, you didn't. When you turned the gun on yourself—I've never been so scared in my entire life. You would've taken your own life to save mine." He held her tightly and stroked her hair.

"I only knew that I had to kill. I couldn't kill you—your words made me realize what I was doing." Amanda gently rubbed his smooth chest.

"I guess true love _can_ conquer anything." Lee brushed her hair with his lips.

"I'm expected back in New York tomorrow, Lee. How are we going to pull this off?" Amanda ran her fingernails over his abdomen, watching fascinated, as his muscles quivered.

Lee smiled at Amanda's words. 'How are "we?"' At least she wasn't planning on heading back up there without him. "Well, we'll have to figure a way to contact Billy without rousing any suspicion." Glancing at the clock, he remarked, "It might not be too hard; he should be home by now."

"Lee, what if his lines are tapped? What if someone is watching me? Can we take that chance?" Amanda pointed out.

"I had my place swept for bugs after the Agency team went over your house this morning. It's safe. We need to call in the backup on this one, Amanda. It's too risky to send you back to New York," Lee whispered his last words. The thought of her alone with Mark sent waves of anger through him.

"You call Mr. Melrose while I get ready to go." Amanda wiggled out his tight embrace and slipped off the bed.

Lee shook his head. "Where do you think you're going!"

"I can't stay here! You may have had the phones checked, but what about someone watching the place? Do you think that they would believe that I stayed here with your dead body?" Amanda shed Lee's shirt and began dressing herself in her own clothes.

"You're not going to leave this apartment without me!" Lee rose and began to dress as well.

"Why don't you call Mr. Melrose while I fix us something to eat. Maybe the two of you can come up with a quick plan." Amanda sat on the bed and put on her shoes.

Lee joined her on the bed. "It's going to work out, Amanda."

Amanda smiled warmly at him as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "It will with you by my side."

"Let's do it then." Lee gave her a quick kiss on the lips and headed into the living room to call Billy.

Amanda rummaged through Lee's cabinets in search of something edible while she listened to Lee's frustrated tone. As she heard Lee hang up the phone, she emptied the contents of two chicken noodle soup cans into a pot and placed it on the stove.

Forgetting to turn on the burner, she left the kitchen and joined him in the living room. "So, what did Mr. Melrose have to say?"

"He's going to send Kevin over here to find my body in a couple of hours. He'll call in the Agency coroner's team to make it look like I really am dead, and I can disguise myself to be your shadow." Lee pulled her into his arms.

Amanda rested her head on his chest. "Sounds like a plan. So, what do I do?"

Lee hesitated, taking pleasure of just holding her in his arms.

Amanda pulled back to look into his hazel eyes. "Lee?"

"Billy wants you to leave here in about an hour. He's going to send someone to follow you home; He's already sent someone similar to your appearance to your house. If they follow you home, you can slip out the back, and they'll think you're still at home." A wide smile crossed his lips.

"What?" Amanda confused by his expression.

"Billy said for you to take the same route you used on the agents when you and I escaped them during the Stemwinder incident. He said we had them so confused about which way we went, they felt like they were chasing their tails." Lee softly laughed at the image.

"Like I told you then—it's _my_ neighborhood. I know where all the loose boards on the fences and mean dogs are." Amanda playfully slapped him on his stomach.

Turning more serious, Lee continued, "He'll have an Agency van pick you up two streets over at the corner bus stop. Then they'll take you to a safe house where all of this can be sorted out. They'll take me out of here in a body bag for all to see, and I'll join you shortly after that."

"Sounds like you two have come up with a good plan. Let me turn on the stove and heat our soup up so we can grab a bite to eat before I have to go." Amanda pulled away from him.

"I can think of a few other things I'd rather do while we wait." He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and closed the distance between them.

Amanda laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I imagine we could manage to find something to do with our time. I think I need a shower." Amanda placed an inviting kiss on his mouth and squirmed from his embrace. "I'll race ya' there. Winner gets to do whatever they want to the loser." She turned and ran to the bathroom.

Lee smiled when he heard the water running. "This is one race I don't mind losing."

Half an hour later, Amanda was filling Lee in on all the events of the last three weeks while they ate the chicken noodle soup Amanda had started earlier. "I really need to get going, Lee." Amanda placed her dish in the sink and headed to retrieve her coat.

"I know. I'll join you as soon as I can." Lee followed and wrapped her in his arms.

"I'll be waiting." Amanda returned his embrace.

Lee pulled back slightly and looked at her. "You be careful."

"I will. You be careful, too." Amanda wrapped her fingers in his hair and pulled him to meet her goodbye kiss.

Lee reluctantly pulled back, ending their shared excitement. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Amanda gently touched his face then turned and picked up her coat. "I'll see you in a little while."

Lee followed her to the door. "Count on it."

"Bye." Amanda briefly kissed him and headed out the door, pulling it closed behind her.

Lee looked down at his attire or lack thereof, and decided to get dressed before "wonder boy" showed up.

A man sitting in car outside Lee's apartment watched as Amanda left building. Picking up his car phone, he dialed his superior. "Andre, please."

"Hello? This is Andre."

"She's exiting the building now."

"Good, follow her. I don't want any unexpected surprises."

"Yes, sir."

Andre hung up the phone and rolled a full vial in his fingers. "I'm surprised the effects of my drug have lasted this long. She's quite strong-willed."

Mark shook his head. "You gave her enough for four adult men."

Andre turned his cold eyes towards Mark. "I don't have to explain my actions to you!"

Mark focused his eyes on the monitors in the room, unwilling to meet his boss' glare. "No, Sir. I just don't understand why it took so much of the injection to make her comply with your wishes. It has not required as much for others."

"You really are quite blind to the aspects of life. It's called love. Now go and prepare to pick up our little helper at the airport." Andre turned his leather chair back towards the monitors.

"Yes, Sir." Mark left the man to his 'work.'

Andre listened to the door click shut behind Mark. He rose from his chair and poured himself a drink. Lifting his glass to the monitors, he toasted himself on his latest victory. "Here's to the fall of the mighty Scarecrow."

Lee arrived at the safe house at approximately the same time as Billy and Rupert. The three walked up the narrow path to the safe house in silence, wanting the privacy of indoors to discuss things. Billy spoke to the agent guarding the front door, and the three entered. "Amanda." Lee called as he entered the house.

"Lee!" Amanda rushed from the small kitchen to greet him. "Are you all right?" She pulled him tightly against her. "I was getting worried, I figured you'd be here ahead of me."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I took the long way here, just to be sure I wasn't followed. Are you okay?" He returned her embrace.

Amanda nodded against his chest. "I am now that you're here." She released Lee and looked at the men who had accompanied him. "Hello, Sir. Uncle, what are you doing here?"

"I told Billy to keep me posted, otherwise I'd head back to New York. When he called and told me that my nephew was playing dead, I found a way to get to Lee's apartment." He flashed her an innocent smile. "I wanted to make sure that my services wouldn't be needed anymore than just a messenger, dear Niece," Rupert finished answering, and then gave her a hug. "Good to see you among the living, nephew." He gave Lee a wink and walked into the living room to sit on the couch.

Billy turned to Amanda. "He showed up at Lee's apartment the same time as the 'clean up crew,' and I couldn't talk him out of coming. Now, would you two like to fill me in on exactly what happened?" Billy removed his hat and coat.

"Have a seat, Billy, its kind of complicated," Lee replied.

Billy took a seat on the couch next to Rupert and made a mental note regarding Lee's attitude towards him. He wasn't as agitated and angry as he had been the last three days. From the way that his two agents were looking at each other, he knew that Amanda had told Lee everything. With all the frustrations he had endured in hiding the truth from Lee, he couldn't wait for the explanation behind this one.

As Amanda pulled a chair in from the dining room, another knock came at the door. Lee quickly put his hand on his gun, and guided Amanda back into the hallway.

Billy nodded to Rupert to open the door as he stood to the side with his gun drawn.

"Can I help you, sonny?" Rupert narrowed his eyes at the young agent.

"Mr. Melrose told me to meet him here," Kevin replied.

Billy returned his gun to its holster and waved for Lee to reenter the living room. "Where the hell is the guard?"

"He had to relieve himself." Kevin shrugged his shoulders. "I told him I'd watch till he got back."

Billy closed his eyes and ran his hand over his balding head at the lack of professionalism some of his employees had. "Get in here. I'll go find my missing agent," Billy huffed.

Rupert closed the door behind Billy; he then returned to the couch to study the new addition to the small group.

"Kevin, what took you so long?" Lee asked, returning to the living room.

"I got a little tied up explaining your death to all of your friends." Kevin rolled his eyes.

"Next time, I get to die and you explain it to everybody."

Lee shook his head. "Deal!"

Kevin walked into the living room and took a closer look at the older man on the couch. "Excuse me, but didn't I see you just the other night with Mrs. King?" he asked.

Rupert squinted his eyes at the younger man. "Ah, yes, you must have been the young man waiting for a cab."

Lee looked at Rupert then to Amanda and then to Kevin. He just shook his head. This whole chain of events had been one unexpected situation after another. He didn't really care anymore. As long as he knew Amanda was still his partner, nothing else mattered.

"Remind me to have a talk with Beaman about his class on 'how to stay at your post,'" Billy grumbled as he reentered the house.

"Now that the gang's all here, we might as well get down to business." Lee took a seat on the armrest where Amanda was seated. "Amanda, do you want to start?"

"I guess I should." She looked up at Lee to draw strength from him. "The last report I gave was through Rupert. I informed him that we have a mole inside the Agency. Well, this morning, Mark brought me to his associate's office, a Mr. Andre. I'm pretty sure that Andre is not this man's name. I'm also positive that I've seen his face before, or at least his likeness. Maybe he's a relative of someone we know," Amanda began explaining.

Kevin watched this woman with extreme interest. He watched, too, as Lee's face held a warm smile towards the woman seated beside him. He had not seen this side of the Scarecrow before. He shrugged his shoulders and took a seat on the couch beside Billy and Rupert.

Amanda glanced over at Lee and saw love and compassion in his eyes. "Anyway, Mark brought me to meet Mr. Andre. The man seems to run a hypnosis/massage business of sorts. He brought us into one of the offices. I was sitting there, and the next thing I knew I was at Lee's apartment, aiming his gun at him."

Billy shifted his gaze to Lee, who had positioned himself behind Amanda's chair. He had put his hands on her shoulders the minute she had mentioned the part about the gun.

"Andre apparently hypnotized her. He probably figured she was the best one to get close to me and take me out," Lee gently squeezed her shoulders, reminding her that he was there for her. "I was able to break the hold he had over her, but it was a close call."

"Lee informed me that I was about to take my own life instead of his," Amanda finished, placing her left hand over Lee's hand. "The thing is, I don't remember much after sitting in Andre's chair. I'm sure they expect me back in New York, once I complete my task."

"Billy, do you think Doc McJohn could re-hypnotize her to find out exactly what went on in that office?" Lee asked.

"I suppose," Billy replied, a slight smile crossed his lips. Amanda's hand glistened with an engagement ring. 'It's about time.' Billy surmised, nodding to himself.

"We'd have to have him come here." Amanda tilted her head back to look at Lee. "Lee, I think the best course of action is for me to head back to New York and inform them that I completed my task."

"Amanda, I don't think it's a good idea to send you back there," Lee moved to sit beside her once again.

"Lee, think about it. Since everyone assumes your dead, you're free to move around as you please. You can come with me and be my back up. I can wear a wire. They wouldn't suspect a thing. Especially with Billy making it seem like you really are dead." She stood and was now looking directly into Lee's eyes. "This is the best chance we have of catching both the Agency leak and this Mr. Andre."

"She's right, Lee," Billy put in. "Officially, Amanda still works for I.A. She has been our only hope from the start, and she still is. I'm going to wake up the good doctor and have him come over."

While Billy made his phone call, Kevin began to wonder just what exactly was going on. "Lee, does this all tie into the recent Agency murders?" he asked.

Lee looked at the young man. "Apparently, I was the next victim. A fact which everyone was trying to hide from me," he replied, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Lee, you know we weren't trying to hide it from you," Amanda shook her head and placed her hands on her hips. "We were hoping to have the answers before you got back and could possibly become involved. If we could have found things out earlier, then you wouldn't have been in the dark about anything."

"Besides, we were under strict orders to leave you out of this, Scarecrow," Billy added, returning to the living room. "Doc McJohn should be here in about half an hour. While we wait, we might as well stop rehashing the past events and come up with a plan to trap whoever is behind this."

By the time a very sleepy Doctor McJohn arrived half an hour later, a tentative plan had been arranged. Amanda would head back and pretend to still be under hypnosis. She would be outfitted with a listening device, which would be hidden inside whatever mechanism Leatherneck could come up with. Lee, disguised with facial hair and glasses, along with Kevin, would follow her to New York. Rupert agreed to stay put and not leave D.C. Lee promised to continue to use him to feed information to Billy, if necessary. The finishing touches all stemmed from what the good doctor would find out from Amanda's memory.

"Amanda, do you remember anything from the time you entered the office to the time you arrived here at Lee's?" McJohn asked his patient, who was sitting comfortably on the couch.

"I do remember that Andre's office was quite relaxing, actually. Once we were seated, I remember him mentioning that I looked tired, as if I didn't have a good night's sleep. I thought it was odd that he would make such an observation. The truth is, I didn't sleep at all last night," Amanda explained.

"Why did it strike you as odd that he made the observation?" McJohn asked.

"It wasn't so much that he asked, it was more the way he said it. It was almost as if he had been there in my room." She paused and looked around at the small group. " I was pretty sure my phone lines were tapped, but I wonder if he…" she shuddered at the thought of someone spying on her like that. Lee stood behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder for support.

"Billy, do you think this Andre had cameras planted in her room?" Lee turned to his boss.

"It's possible, Lee. Amanda, you didn't talk with anyone other than Rupert, did you? I mean in your room." Billy questioned her.

"Only Mark, when he came by to get me this morning. Other than that, I met with Francine in her room, and Rupert at his hotel," she replied.

Lee perked up at the mention of Francine's name. He turned to look first at Amanda, and then at Billy. "Do you mean to tell me that Francine was in on this, too?" he demanded, more than a little agitated. Then he looked at the young man who had been forced on him as a partner. Squinting his eyes in frustration, he asked, "I suppose you were too, weren't you?"

The young rookie looked back at Lee and replied, "Honest, Lee, you probably know more about any of this than I do. All I knew was that the great Scarecrow was going to need a new partner, and I thought it would be a great opportunity." He defended himself, and then turning away, muttered under his breath, "boy what a mistake that was."

"Lee, Amanda needed some sort of backup. Francine was the one who jumped at the chance to help save you. It was her idea to follow Amanda from the shadows. Most of the places she went with Mark, I could always find a way to send Francine there as well." Billy explained.

Lee stood in silence. So much had happened since he had left a month ago. Now, all he wanted was for this whole ordeal to end and so he get back to the way his life was before he went to London.

"Do you mind if we get back to business?" Amanda interjected. "It's late, and I know we would all feel much better if we could get this all straightened out and get some rest before tomorrow."

"I guess you're right. Go on Doc." Lee remained firmly planted behind Amanda.

"Thank you. Now, Amanda, "Dr. McJohn began his questioning again, "what happened after Andre made the observation?"

"He said that I looked like I could use some help relaxing. He began massaging my shoulders and eventually began rubbing my temples. I remember his voice was real even, almost hypnotic. The next thing I remember was standing in Lee's bedroom pointing a gun at him." Amanda looked up at Lee as she finished. Her eyes full of sorrow at what had almost happened.

Lee returned her look and gave her a smile, letting her know it was all right. That he knew it wasn't her fault.

"You don't remember anything else?" the doctor asked.

"I'm sorry, Doctor McJohn, but I really don't." She shook her head. "Do you think you can re-hypnotize me and find out exactly what happened during the time I don't remember?"

"I'm sure I can hypnotize you, but I can't promise the results." He shrugged his shoulders and looked at Billy.

"It's worth a shot. Are you up to it, Amanda?" Billy asked as he looked from Amanda then to Lee.

"Yes, I am, Sir," Amanda replied. She turned to look at Lee and let him know this was what she wanted.

"All right, then. I'll need complete silence." McJohn looked around the room, noting everyone nodding their understanding. Taking out a pocket watch, he sat on the edge of the coffee table in front of his patient. "Amanda, I want you to think of a blank sheet of paper. When your mind is clear, I want you to focus your eyes on my watch."

Amanda did as instructed. McJohn waved the watch back and forth, speaking to her in monotone "Just keep watching the watch. You're eyes are growing heavy. You're beginning to feel very sleepy. Let your eyes close. That's it. Now, when I count to three, you will fall asleep. One…Two…Three."

Everyone watched as Amanda's head slumped. "She really is a quick study, isn't she?" McJohn remarked. "Now, when I snap my fingers you will be back in Andre's office. He will be massaging your shoulders, and you will recount what you said to him."

With a snap of his fingers, Amanda's eyelids opened and her head snapped up so she appeared to be looking straight ahead, but her eyes were distant and far away.

"Where are you, Amanda?" McJohn asked.

"I am in a velvet chair, relaxing. It feels so good to let the stress leave my body," she replied, her voice as distant as her eyes.

"Do you know who is talking to you?"

"Yes, it is Mr. Andre, but he told me to call him just Andre."

"Good, do you remember what he is asking you?" McJohn inquired.

"All I remember is his instructions. He told me to forget everything else." Amanda mechanically answered.

"What were his instructions?" McJohn asked.

"Andre instructed me to kill Lee Stetson."

"Then what happened?" McJohn continued to probe.

"He was upset with me when I refused. I told him no." Amanda shook her head.

Billy rose and stood beside Lee, offering support. Lee eyes remained focused on his lifetime partner.

"What did he say?" McJohn asked.

"Told me I would feel a prick in my arm." Amanda replied.

McJohn furrowed his eyebrows, looking up at Billy. "Did he give you an injection?"

Amanda nodded.

"What happened then?"

"I wanted to refuse, but it was hard not to accept his orders." Amanda voice remained calm.

"Did you accept his demands?" McJohn continued.

"Yes." Amanda nodded.

"Then what happened?"

"He told me that if I failed, someone else would be sent in my place. I was to kill or be killed if I failed. He asked if I understood."

A look of understanding crossed between Lee and Billy. She had turned the gun on herself because she had been told that if she didn't kill Lee, she would die anyway.

"Did he give you any other instructions?" McJohn asked.

"Yes, he then told me that I was to take a flight back to D.C. and head straight for Lee's apartment. If he wasn't there, I was to wait until he came back. Get him to let his guard down, and kill him with his own gun."

"Was there anything else?" McJohn waited for an answer.

"If I succeeded, I was to take an 11 am flight back to New York and meet Mark back at our hotel."

"Okay, when I snap my fingers, you will fall back into a deep sleep." With a snap of his fingers, Amanda's eyes shut again, and her head slumped back down. "Now, when I count to three, you will awaken and remember everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours. One…Two…Three." On the last count, Amanda's head popped up and her eyes opened.

She looked at Lee and her eyes grew wide with shock as the memories of the last few hours came flooding back to her. She put a hand to her mouth and gasped. "Oh, my gosh! What if you hadn't been able to get through to me? Oh, Lee." Lowering her eyes from his gaze, she stared at the floor.

"It's all right, Amanda. It's all over now." Lee quickly knelt before her and pulled her the sleeve of her shirt up. His eyes saddened as he noticed the small prick in the bend of her arm. "What did he use Doc.?"

"I'm not sure. It could be any number of things. I'll have to draw blood and run it through the lab to be sure. We'll need to take her back to the Agency hospital to run some tests." Doctor McJohn stood beside the couple.

"I can't go." Amanda looked at Lee then to Billy.

"You have to!" Lee insisted.

Amanda took his hand in hers. "I feel fine. Whatever it was, it must have worn off by now," Amanda reassured him.

Lee looked up to Billy for support. "Tell her, Billy. Tell her that she needs to go to the hospital."

"Lee—" Billy started.

Amanda placed her hand on his cheek and turned his face to meet hers. "Lee, I have to get on that plane tomorrow. If I don't, then all of this will have been for nothing," Amanda pleaded.

Billy shook his head. "She's right, Lee."

"I could draw some blood here and run it back to the lab. We should know something by tomorrow morning," McJohn explained.

"I don't like it." Lee stood and began to pace.

Amanda rose from her seat and stood in his path. Placing her hand on his arm, she shook her head. "Lee, we don't have a choice."

Lee's eyes softened at her touch. Smiling briefly at her, he turned his attention back to McJohn.

Kevin's eyes grew wide at the sight before him. He had expected Lee's temper to explode at her refusal, instead he watched as the beauty calmed the beast before her with a simple touch. Glancing over at Billy, he saw amusement dancing in his boss' eyes. Kevin realized then that this was not an unusual occurance between Scarecrow and Mrs. King.

Lee looked at the determination in her eyes then looked at McJohn. "I want us informed the minute you hear, Doc."

"I'll be sure you do. I need to go to my car and grab my medical bag." McJohn left the four alone in the room.

"We need passage for Kevin and I on the eleven o'clock flight, Billy" Lee remained focused on Amanda.

"I'll take care of it first thing in the morning. You and Kevin will fly back under assumed names. Amanda, do you think you can convince them that you're still under hypnosis?" Billy let his eyes fall on the female of the best team he had.

"I'll do my best, Sir," she replied.

McJohn reentered the house and opened his bag. "I need you to take a seat, Mrs. King."

Amanda sat back down on the couch and rolled up her sleeve, offering her arm to McJohn. Lee stood behind her as he watched McJohn pull the syringe from his bag. Seeing Amanda's body begin to tremble, he placed his hands on her shoulder, gently massaging them. Smiling at his touch, Amanda looked back at him thanking him for his reassurance.

"Why can't she remember it all, McJohn?" Billy turned to the doctor.

"In some cases, it's a repressed memory, or he could have used a form of hypnosis that I'm not familiar with yet. It could be a variety of reasons, but she appears to be of a normal state of mind," McJohn reassured him, placing the cap on the end of the vial of blood he had just taken from Amanda.

"Thank you, Doctor. I'll get Leatherneck to come up with that device to give you. Lee, Amanda will need to head to the airport early in the morning. I'll have an Agency van pick her up here."

"What about the other woman?" Amanda asked.

Billy turned his attention towards his female agent. "I'll have our decoy head to the ladies room, and you can already be there by the time she arrives. I'll have her wear a coat identical to Amanda's. That way you can board the plane, and they'll be none the wiser."

Lee nodded.

Billy smiled, again noticing the shimmering diamond on her left hand. "I'm sure you two will be comfortable here. An agent will be just outside, not leaving his post, if he knows what's good for him. Come on gentlemen. Let's get going. We have a lot to do tomorrow."

McJohn and Kevin followed Billy to the door.

"Kevin, I'll meet you at the airport. You'll have to stop by the Agency and pick up our tickets and passport," Lee called from the living room.

"Will do, Scarecrow." Kevin looked at the woman on the couch. He realized that once this case was over, he was out of a partnership.

"I'll make sure the rumor mill is going that you're dead, Lee. I don't think it'll be too hard to convince folks, since we dragged you out in a body bag today." Billy smiled as he headed out the door.

Rupert rose from his seat and walked over to Amanda. Giving her a hug, he whispered, "You be careful, Niece."

"I will, Uncle," Amanda responded, placing a kiss on his cheek.

Rupert then turned towards Lee and ordered, "You take care of her, Nephew. She promised me a dance, and I expect to collect."

Rupert looked to see that the others had left the house. "Diamonds look beautiful on you, my dear." Winking, he headed out the door to catch up with his ride home.

Amanda looked at her left hand and gasped. "Lee! I left my engagement ring on."

Lee smiled and pulled her into a tight embrace. "It's going to stay there if I have anything to do with it."

"Lee, I can't wear it tomorrow." Amanda sighed into his chest.

"After this case is over, we're going to make some changes. I'm going to get to know your family better, and then we're going to make our relationship public. I will not live my life without you by my side." Lee pulled her back to look in her eyes.

"I love you," Amanda whispered as she pulled him back into her embrace.

"I love you, too. I know you're exhausted. Why don't you go ahead and get ready for bed. I'll be there in a minute." Lee kissed the top of her head.

Amanda pulled back to look at him. "Do you think it's a good idea for us to sleep together? I mean, with all the eyes around watching us."

"I'll lock the bedroom door, and the guard is assigned to the outside of the house." Lee pulled her closer to his body. "I really don't give a damn what everyone thinks. I'm not letting you out of my sight tonight."

Amanda smiled into his chest, and nodded. "I'll be waiting." Amanda stepped back a bit and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

She headed into the bedroom to get ready for bed. Pulling off all of her clothes, except her underclothing, she crawled into bed to wait for her fiancé.

Lee walked around the house, making sure that everything was locked and secure. He reached the bedroom to find Amanda already curled up in bed. She looked so peaceful lying there asleep.

He went into the bathroom to prepare for bed. Emerging, he turned off the lights and locked the bedroom door. After setting the alarm for 7am, he eased his way into bed alongside Amanda. She moved slightly as he put his arms around her in a protective cocoon. He let the intoxicating smell of her hair take his mind off of other things and allowed himself to drift off into a peaceful slumber.

To Be Continued….


	8. Part 8

See Part 1 for Disclaimers, Notes, etc.

Chapter 15

Lee awoke to the sounds of his alarm. He smiled as he realized Amanda still lay cuddled up in his arms. As he eased his arm away from Amanda, she stirred slightly.

"Mmm…what time is it?" she yawned, and rolled over to face her fiancé.

"It's time to get up sleepyhead." Lee placed a kiss on her lips. Amanda returned the kiss and wrapped her free arm around his neck, pulling him to her for a more passionate kiss.

Lee's mind told him that they needed to get up and ready for the big day ahead. But his heart and body told him there was no need for that. Returning the kiss he re-ignited the passion that had consumed them the night before.

Amanda broke their kiss, and as Lee was about to protest, she smiled shyly at him. He looked into her eyes and saw passion and love. He had never felt so complete with anyone, he knew beyond a doubt that the woman he held in his arms was his soul mate. He felt himself reacting to her as she placed a quick kiss on his lips and then moved to place small kisses on his neck. His eyes grew questioning when she suddenly stopped. He saw her eyes were focused on the scar on his shoulder, a somber reminder of how easily she could lose him. Lee watched her eyes cloud with sadness and pulled her face to look at him. No words were necessary, as he pulled her back to him and kissed her gently. His kiss told her that he had no plans on going anywhere. Their eyes locked and they once again let passion take over as they let the world around them disappear as they re-explored each other.

As their breathing evened out, Lee gently stroked her hair. He didn't want to leave the heat of her body, but he knew that they had to put the events of the next few days behind them, before they could move on with their life together.

"Wow," was all Amanda could utter as she slid into the curve of his arm and laid her head on his shoulder.

Lee turned to place a kiss on her forehead. "You are one amazing woman, Amanda King."

She smiled at the meaning behind his words. "You're not so bad yourself, Mr. Stetson," she chuckled.

"Not so bad?" he replied with mock hurt in his voice.

She shrugged her shoulders and then rolled to her side, propping herself up with her elbow. "Actually, I've never felt more love for one man than I do for you. I mean that with all my heart, Lee." Amanda looked into his smiling eyes to see that he understood exactly what she meant.

Lee gently caressed the curve of her cheek. "And I have truly never made love to _anyone_ before you. The feelings I feel with you are just so-- different. I don't know how to explain it, except that I feel so complete with you. I love you, Amanda."

"I love you, too, Lee." Placing a gentle kiss on his lips, Amanda began to rub the hard muscles of his shoulders. A wicked smile crossed his lips as he felt himself awaken with her slight touch. "Oh no, you don't," Amanda teased as she rolled over and climbed out of bed. "Come on. We have a long day ahead of us, and we can't afford to spend it in bed."

Lee's face saddened, as he looked up at the beautiful woman that was soon to be his wife. "Amanda."

Picking up her discarded clothes from the floor, Amanda turned her sparkling eyes towards him. "Mmm…"

His hazel eyes glistened as they locked with hers. "Promise me, if they find out anything about the injection that bastard gave you, that you'll come home to the Agency hospital immediately."

Amanda returned to sit beside of him, taking his left hand in hers. "Everything will be fine, Lee. Besides, I feel great."

Lee wound his fingers through hers and gently squeezed, never taking his eyes from hers. "Promise me."

Amanda nodded. "I promise."

"Thank you." His mood lightened as he moved to sit up in bed.

"Let's get ready to go, shall we?" Amanda released his hand and stood.

Lee sighed. "You're right. You can shower first while I go whip you up some breakfast."

Amanda was about to suggest that they shower together but realized that doing so would probably delay them, and they couldn't afford to be late. Nodding, she headed into the bathroom.

Kevin stood waiting by the ticket counter. He had stopped by the Agency to pick up Lee's fake I.D., and while he was there, Mr. Melrose had also given him the device from Leatherneck to allow them to track Mrs. King. Looking at his watch, he noticed that it was almost 10 a.m. Glancing nervously around, he sighed with relief when he saw Mrs. King exit the ladies restroom.

Kevin watched her approach the ticket counter to obtain her boarding pass. He scanned the crowd looking for any sign of Lee and nearly jumped out of his skin as a hand grasped his shoulder.

"Excuse me, young man, but I believe you have some papers for me."

Turning, Kevin came face to face with a bearded man whose hazel eyes were cleverly concealed behind a pair of glasses. "Lee, is that you?" he whispered.

Lee nodded, continuing to scan the area for suspicious persons. "Yes. Did you get the documents from Billy?"

"Yep. You're travelling as Matthew West." Kevin explained as he gave Lee his new I.D. "That's an interesting name." Kevin furrowed his blonde eyebrows at Lee's pleasant smile.

"Need to know, Kevin." Lee mused at the fact that Billy had cleverly used his father's name combined with Amanda's maiden name. "Did Leatherneck give you something for Amanda?"

"Yes." Kevin took a lady's black-banded Timex out of his pocket. "Mr. Melrose said its good for a five mile radius."

"Now we just need a way to get it to her." Lee looked at the young man. "I've got it. Give me the watch. Then I want you to bump into Amanda, causing her to drop her purse."

Kevin raised his eyebrows in confusion at his current partner request. Shrugging his shoulders, he said, "Okay, if you say so." He passed Lee the watch and then walked towards Amanda. As he got closer, he increased his speed and blindly ran into her. His original intent was to knock her off balance, a little, but he had gotten carried away and ended up causing her to fall on her rear.

Lee shook his head at the sight before him then proceeded to walk over to her. "Are you all right, ma'am?" Lee asked, leaning over to help her up.

Amanda looked into the hazel eyes that peered over the dark sunglasses and immediately felt a familiar warmth spread through her body. "Yes, thank you. Can't be too careful these days. I guess I wasn't paying much attention to where I was going," she replied, a small smile graced her lips.

While Amanda brushed herself off, Lee went to retrieve her purse. "Here you go," he said, handing it to her.

Taking it from him, she stated, "Thank you again, Mr…"

"Matthew West, and I believe this fell out of your purse," he replied as he passed her the watch.

Amanda's eyes widened at his cover name as she took the watch from him. She nodded, understanding that this was what Leatherneck had fitted with the listening and tracking devices. "Thank you. If you'll excuse me, I do have a flight to catch." She winked at him; then turned to head towards her gate.

Shaking his head again, he watched her saunter off to her boarding gate. Seeing her safely board the plane, he turned to go find Kevin and reprimand him for driving over Amanda like a freight train.

Amanda tried to relax in her seat as she waited for Kevin and Lee to board the plane. Taking off her own watch, she put on the one that Leatherneck had provided for her. She wanted nothing more than for Lee to be seated next to her, but she knew that they couldn't take any chances while there was the possibility that she was being followed.

A soft sigh escaped her lips, as she watched the hairy-faced man, who was her life pass by her, taking a seat towards the back of the plane. Lee had flashed her his famous Stetson smile, reminding her of their early morning activities. She always melted when he looked at her that way. She pulled out the chain from around her neck and glanced at the glistening diamond that now hung next the cross pendant. She knew she should have kept the ring at home, but she didn't want to be without it. She needed it with her, to give her the strength she would need to continue with her role. Smiling, she closed her eyes and decided to get some rest during the flight back to New York

Rupert gingerly entered the main foyer of the Agency. "Good morning, Mrs. Marston."

Mrs. Marston sat straight in her chair. "Good morning, Rupert."

"Lee asked me to pick up a few things from his office. Mind if I go on up?" Rupert smiled sweetly.

"You really should have a pass, Rupert. But since you were just up there with Mr. Melrose, I suppose a quick trip up and back would be all right." Mrs. Marston winked at him.

"Thanks, Mrs. Marston." Rupert started up the steps.

"Rupert, call me Gail." Mrs. Marston slightly blushed.

"Okay, Gail." Rupert nodded towards her; then quickened his pace a little up the stairs. He had promised Billy and everyone that he wouldn't go to New York and he planned on keeping his word. He hadn't, however, promised to stay at home, so he decided to snoop around in the Q-Bureau. Maybe he could come up with some clues of his own. Amanda had said that Andre might be related to someone from a past case, so he might as well see what he could come up with. He stopped outside the Bureau door when he heard a voice inside.

"Mr. Andre, it's Rag Mop. I thought I would call and tell you the good news." The custodian's voice held a hint of pride. "Melrose just informed Dr. Smyth that Lee Stetson was killed last night. They found him sometime after midnight in his bedroom but haven't been able to track down his killer. Yes, Mr. Melrose seemed extremely upset, like he just lost his best friend or something. No, I don't know where Jack Belimar is assigned. Scarecrow's death kind of took center stage. Yes, I realize he's the last one responsible for putting your father away. I know you are upset that your father's dead. I promise to call you, as I know anything more. Thank you, Sir. I know you have faith in my capabilities." Rag Mop waited for Andre to hang up before returning the receiver to its base.

He thought about looking around for some information on Belimar in the office, but he decided he had taken enough risks by using the late Scarecrow's phone. He'd show them that he could play the spy game just as well as anyone else. Mr. Andre had told him that he had just as much potential as the 'Almighty Scarecrow.' Mr. Andre had opened his eyes to the fact that he was being taken for granted here at the Agency. His new acquaintance had made him realize that his current employers were just making him do the dirty grunt work, and not allowing him to prove to them his true talent. Mr. Andre believed in him and soon others would too!

Rupert quickly hurried down the steps. He reached the elevators just as Rag Mop began descending the stairs. 'Phew that was close. Now, I just need to find Billy and fill him in.'

Francine looked out her hotel window at the long black limo Mark Dobson had just stepped out of. She nodded her head, understanding the details Kevin had just informed her of. "Is Lee in the lobby?"

"Yep. I think we'd better head that way. We'll have to follow Amanda wherever they're taking her." Kevin headed for the door.

"Hold on a second. I just have to grab my coat." Francine grabbed her belongings and followed Kevin out the door.

Amanda nervously played with the ring she always wore on her pinky as she watched for Mark to enter the lobby. Lee was only a few feet away, resting on the sofa in the lobby. She wanted to look at him for support, but she dared not; she didn't know who was watching her. She tried to concentrate on the Christmas decorations that filled the area. She sighed as she stepped in front of the enormous tree. It's shimmering gold bows and twinkling bright lights brought a smile to her face.

"Beautiful, isn't it," Mark whispered in her ear as he stepped behind her.

Amanda turned to look at him. "Yes."

Mark caressed her cheek with his hand. "Did you accomplish what you were sent to do?"

Amanda nodded. "Yes."

"Very good, Manda. Andre will be pleased." Mark took her hand and led her out of the lobby to the waiting limo.

Lee waited until they had exited the doors before following. Francine and Kevin exited the elevator just as Lee stepped out the front door.

"We'd better pick up our pace." Kevin pointed to the door as they hurried to catch up to Lee.

Francine touched the man's shoulder that Kevin indicated was Lee. "Attractive outfit," she remarked, wrinkling her nose.

Lee nodded towards the moving limo, ignoring his co-workers comment. "There they go now. Where's your car, Francine?" he asked, looking in their direction.

"I've got the tracking device, Lee." Kevin reached into his pocket and handed it over. "Can you hear them all right?"

"Yeah, so far so good." Lee turned to see Francine walking over to the car the parking attendant had just driven up to the front.

"Let's go." Lee jumped in the passenger side and Kevin climbed in the back.

Francine looked over to see Lee's jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed. "What is it?"

"Damn, Dobson. He's only got one thing on his mind. When I get my hands on him…" Lee stopped his ranting as he placed his hand over his ear to listen to the continued conversation.

Mark watched the beautiful brunette look out the window with a lost expression on her face. "Manda."

"Yes." Amanda looked at him blankly.

"If you do what he tells you, everything will turn out fine. I hope we have a chance to continue our relationship together." Mark placed his hand on her leg and slowly moved it up her thigh.

"Yes." Amanda nodded turning her eyes to meet his.

Mark placed his hand behind her head and pulled her to meet his lips. "Mmm...You taste delightful, my dear. I sure have missed you."

Amanda nodded and turned her attention back to the window.

"Did you have any difficulty killing Scarecrow?" Mark smiled at the thought of his nemesis out of the picture.

"No." Amanda coldly stated.

"Good. How did you do it?" Mark urged her to continue.

"Shot him." Amanda continued her stagnant speech.

Mark touched her chin with his hand and pulled her face to look at him. "What was his expression? Give me details, I want to know exactly how the man died?"

"I put a bullet through his heart while he was in the shower. He looked shocked." Amanda calmly stared into his eyes. "I did what I was ordered to do."

"Excellent." Mark's smile widened.

Amanda nodded and looked back to the passing cars.

"We're here, Sir," the driver told Mark, as he pulled into the deserted parking lot.

Kevin leaned over the front seat, trying to listen to what was being said. "They're pulling off up there, Francine."

Francine nodded and gave Lee a peeved look. "I can see that, Kevin."

Kevin shrugged his shoulders and leaned back in his seat. He decided to keep his mouth shut and see what the two senior agents had planned.

"Pull up that street, Francine. This parking lot looks overcrowded, and I don't want us to drive around all day looking for a damn parking space." Lee pointed to the alleyway across the street.

Francine maneuvered her car between the shadows of the building. "What's going on now?" She turned to look at Lee's flustered face.

"They are heading to the elevators. Come on, Amanda. Give me a clue as to which floor." Lee continued to press his listening device to his ear, as if to encourage her to speak.

Mark waved his hand in front of himself, encouraging her to enter the lift that would take them to meet Mr. Andre. "After you, Manda."

Amanda nodded and entered. "Mr. Andre will be expecting us."

Mark pulled out the special key needed to take them to the secured floor from his breast pocket. "Yes."

"We're not going to the same place?" Amanda tilted her head and watched Mark.

"Not today. We've got an exclusive room for our exceptional employees." Mark turned the key, and the elevator started.

"The number is not listed." Amanda coldly nodded.

"I've never really understood the superstition about the thirteenth floor not being listed on an elevator panel, but it _has _come in handy for Mr. Andre." Mark laughed as the elevator doors opened to a dimly lit hallway.

Amanda again nodded as she followed Mark to a room marked 'Out of the Ordinary.'

Amanda pointed to the door and watched Mark's face crinkle with a smile. "The title definitely describes Mr. Andre. Don't ya' think?"

"Out of the Ordinary." Amanda spoke and then smiled at him as they entered the room.

Lee stepped out of the car and into the darkness of the alleyway. "Let's go. Are you waiting for an invitation?" Francine shot him an annoyed look before pulling out her gun, checking to see that it was loaded. Returning it to her purse, she motioned for Kevin to follow.

"I've heard that before," Kevin mumbled, remembering how Scarecrow had said that same phrase to him on a number of occasions. Turning in the direction of the building Mrs. King had entered with Mark Dobson, he followed Francine and Lee across the street.

As soon as the reached the building, Lee rushed into the lobby and found it to be filled with just as much activity as the parking lot. Kevin and Francine followed Lee towards the elevators.

Pushing the up button, Lee prayed that they would be able to get an elevator by themselves. As soon as the doors opened, he quickly followed Kevin and Francine in. Unfortunately, two other building personnel entered as well. Lee cursed under his breath and then sighed as he watched them push the second and third floor buttons. Lee quickly pushed the eleventh and fourteenth buttons.

Francine shot Lee a questioning look, to which he just shrugged his shoulders. The minute the last passenger had gotten off the elevators, he pushed the emergency stop button and immediately went to work trying to gain access to the thirteenth floor.

"What's he doing?" Kevin watched Lee crouch to the floor with his half rake.

"Isn't it obvious." Francine rolled her eyes as she pulled her gun from her purse.

"No." Kevin shook his head and followed suit, pulling out his gun.

"Shh..." Lee pressed his ear to hear Amanda and Mark. "Damn it," he muttered as his pick broke in the lock.

"Here." Francine retrieved her half rake from her collar and handed it to Lee.

Kevin shook his head at the two senior agents, acknowledging, to himself, that he still had a lot to learn.

Lee continued his mastery over the stubborn lock until the elevator started its motion upward again. "Got it!" He smiled as he pulled his own gun in anticipation of the doors opening.

Amanda's face remained placid as she tried to control the nervousness she felt from showing. 'Mark was easy to fool into thinking that I'm still under Andre's spell, but will his superior be as easy to convince?' Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard Mark call Andre's name.

"Andre, we're back," Mark called out when they had entered the 'Out of the Ordinary' room. Amanda glanced around at her plush surroundings. A shiver went up her spine as a door creaked open from the back of the room. Mark smiled at her and motioned for her to enter ahead of him.

Chapter 16

Amanda walked cautiously into the room; her eyes grew wide as they fell upon all the video equipment that filled the room. Realization crept into her mind that, indeed, she had been watched in the confines of her hotel room. She had to fight hard to control the shudder that tried to wrack her body. Andre stood in the shadows of the room, watching his pawns with interest.

Andre stepped from the darkness and stood in silent observance as the smoke filtered from his mouth. He walked closer to his two subordinates, looking for remorse in the young woman's features. Cigarette smoke encircled Amanda's face as he studied her. "I take it then your task is complete, Mrs. King."

He stood so close to her body that she could feel his hot breath on her neck. She swallowed the fear that was rising within her and called upon the courage buried deep in her soul to remain calm before him. "Yes, I have."

"Then Lee Stetson is dead?" Andre moved in front of her, seeking confirmation from her eyes.

Mark nodded his reassurance, as Amanda responded. "Yes, I shot him with his own gun."

Andre rolled his cigarette between his thumb and forefinger. Amanda could see the doubt cross his face for an instant. A satisfied smile flickered across his lips as he continued to study her.

Placing his cigarette in the ashtray, he moved a little closer to Amanda, so that he was almost whispering in her ear. "Did he give you any problems?"

"No. I shot him in the shower." Amanda said a silent prayer that he hadn't noticed her cracking voice.

He stood behind her and pulled a few stray curls from her shoulder. "In the shower? Very interesting. Going for the element of surprise? Tell me, Amanda. Did he cry out in pain as he watched the woman he loved take his life?" Andre whispered against her shoulder. The custodian had told him that Scarecrow had been found in his bedroom, not in the shower.

"Yes." Amanda flinched at his closeness.

Andre moved from behind her to concentrate once more on her eyes. An evil glint crossed his features at the fact that she had flinched at his touch. 'So, she's playing me for a sucker once more. Well, I'll just let the little bitch play her game. I still have an ace in the hole.' Andre's eyes remained steely as his thoughts ran though his mind.

"I'm truly amazed that this little housewife was able to fell the Great Scarecrow with his own silver bullet." Andre drooled, continuing his intense study of her face.

"He never knew what happened." Amanda was aware of his change in posture. His voice was more sarcastic, and his eyes much more penetrating. She kept her eyes focused ahead of her and continued to pray that she hadn't given something away.

"Well, Mrs. King. I must thank you for dealing with Scarecrow for me. I had hoped to use your services, again, to rid one more of my father's adversaries, but I suddenly realize that I no longer have a need for you." A smirk ran across his features.

Amanda's mind confirmed the hint of humor in his voice. Trying to maintain her indifference to her fear, she stood silent. As laughter from the crazed man filled the room, however, her eyes grew wide at the knowledge that her game was up.

"Damn it! Open up!" Lee kicked the metal doors that confined him.

Francine placed her hand on his shoulder to calm him. "What is it, Lee?"

"He's on to her!" Lee turned his panicked eyes to the willowy blonde.

"We'll get her, Scarecrow." Francine gave his shoulder a tight squeeze as the elevator doors opened.

Lee nodded his understanding. He had to put his personal emotions on the back burner and concentrate on his professional training, if they were to have any hope of bringing her out this situation alive.

"My dear Mrs. King. You can stop play-acting. I'm not sure how you broke out of my spell, but it is of no consequence. You see, yesterday when you were in my office, I injected you with a drug. It immediately helped me to control your mind and convince you to kill Lee Stetson." Andre paused as he watched fear creep into his prize's eyes.

Not wanting to reveal that Lee was safe from his demented plan, Amanda remained quiet.

Noting her obvious refusal to bend to his taunting, Andre decided to add a little fuel to the fire. "Apparently, I need to do some work with that part of my 'experimental' drug; I should still have power over you. Hmmm…" A pleased smile crossed his lips, and, shrugging his shoulders, he continued, "Nevertheless, the drug also has the added benefit of taking your life."

Turning his attention to his silent protégé, he narrowed his eyes. "I just _hate_ to get my hands dirty with a messy killing. Don't you, Mark?"

Mark nodded, refraining from doing or saying anything to upset his superior. Andre, once again, faced the quickly paling Mrs. King. "Thirty-six hours after injection, it renders you unconscious, while it then attacks your blood cells; within another twelve hours, it stops your heart." Andre watched as her eyes weakened at the new knowledge.

"I was going to give you the antidote this afternoon, if you'd been a good girl, but since you haven't, I'll just let you suffer and meet your own end." Andre let out an evil laugh. "This is all too good. In just a few short hours, my dear, you'll be a mass of dead weight. And the beauty of it all, is that the only thing the doctors will find, if they test your blood stream, is what appears to be a form of truth serum."

A foreign feeling rushed through Amanda's veins. Never in her life had she held such hate towards another human being. Every ounce of her body and soul was not going to surrender to the man before her without a fight. "You're a madman. First, you play God with the lives of innocent United States Agents, deciding who lives and who dies. Then you use me as a pawn in your sick game to kill my partner. Then you stand before me with a smug look, taunting me with the fact that you hold my life in your hands. All of this in the name of some personal vendetta, which I'm sure in that sick mind of yours is what has caused you to do the demonic things you've done." Her voice grew louder with each word and her fists clinched at her side. Andre remained firmly planted before her with amusement in his eyes and a smug expression on his face.

Mark's eyes widened as her words filtered through his mind. 'She played me for a fool. She never left the Agency to be my aide. She's still loyal to that son of a bitch Stetson. I led her straight into my own lair of lies and deceit. She's going to destroy all I have worked for with _her_ deceitful lies.' As his thoughts turned in his head, his anger grew.

"You lying bitch!" Mark spat the words from his mouth as he slowly closed the distance between them. "To think that I was concerned for you because of the injection Andre introduced to your body, but now I see that you're getting just what _you_ deserve."

Amanda had been so busy concentrating her rage towards Andre that she had forgotten that Mark was even in the room. As she turned to face him, she was met with a hard slap to the face. Between the surprise of his attack and the force of the blow, Amanda staggered, as her head snapped back. As stars danced before her eyes, she lost her balance and fell against the back of a chair. Mark didn't stop he came at her one more time.

"Mark, please. You don't want to do me harm, do you?" Amanda pleaded, as she looked into the angry eyes of the man who had just realized he'd been toyed with.

The three spies reached the office marked 'Out of the Ordinary' just as Andre had begun to inform Amanda of her impending doom. Lee's teeth clenched when he heard that Amanda's life depended on an antidote that the bastard held in his possession. He held up his hand for his colleagues to wait outside the door until he could confirm where Andre kept the antidote.

Kevin took up position to the left of the door and Francine to the right. Lee stood directly before it, prepared to knock it down with force once he had obtained the information he needed. His emotions took over the second he heard Mark's hand cross Amanda's skin. Lee's features remained hard as he nodded to Francine and then to Kevin. Guns drawn and bodies rigid, both agents acknowledged that they were going in.

Mark raised his hand to strike her once again, and Amanda shielded her face with her arms as the blow came. The force of his anger sent her stumbling, causing her to fall against the sharp edge of the coffee table which stood beside the chair. Amanda shook her head, trying to remain focused as the blood trickled down her face from the cut caused by the impact.

Just as Amanda fell to the ground, a large crash came from the other room. Andre grabbed the dazed woman and headed out a side door leading them back out into the hallway.

Lee quickly surveyed the empty room, his eyes coming to rest on the door in the back. Francine nodded, and Kevin followed as they assumed their positions. Lee kicked the door in, and his partners followed him through.

Mark was so startled by the sound of the door crashing in the other room and the door to Andre's office slamming open that he paid no attention to the fact that Andre had abandoned him to face the intruders, alone.

Lee's eyes sought out the woman he loved, but instead, they fell upon the shocked features of Mark. Lee was on Mark with lightning speed. Allowing his anger to peak, his fist made contact with Mark's jaw, sending the staggering man against the wall. Lee quickly replaced his gun in its holster to use both hands on the worthless man. Grabbing Mark by the collar he jerked the fallen man to his feet. "Come on Dobson, how about picking on someone your own size."

"Stetson!" Mark sputtered. "But...but...you're supposed to be dead."

As Lee planted another punch to Mark's face, he stated, "Surprise."

"Lee! Lee! Amanda's not here." Francine shouted as she pulled at Lee's shoulder.

Lee took hold of Dobson's shirt collar as he turned to look at Francine then to Kevin. Kevin nodded his head, confirming Francine's statement.

Lee turned his fire-filled eyes at the man. "Damn it! All right, Dobson. Where's Amanda?"

"I wouldn't tell you if my life depended on it!" Mark spit at Lee.

"It does, you son of a bitch! Tell me or you'll go to your grave a young man." Lee hissed, his face inches from Mark's.

Mark saw the hatred in Lee's eyes. "I don't know. Andre must have slipped out with her as soon as he heard the door bust in."

"Slipped out where? There isn't another door." Lee grasped Mark's throat with his hands, giving him a good squeeze.

Mark struggled for air as Lee's grasp continued to tighten. "Secret panel...button on...underside of desk."

Kevin rushed to the desk and pressed the button indicated. His eyes widened as the door opened behind him. "It leads to a hallway. There's an elevator. It's going up to the roof." Kevin shouted as he turned back to Lee and Francine.

"Kevin, I want you to watch him. Don't let him out of your sight for a minute, understand?" Lee dragged Mark over to the inner office door and handcuffed him to the doorknob. Turning his attention back to Mark, he seethed through clenched teeth, "Rest for now Dobson, I'm not through with you yet. You'll pay for having laid even one hand on Amanda." Retrieving his gun, he struck Mark's head with the butt of the gun, knocking him out cold. Lee then followed Francine out into the hallway.

Kevin glanced once at the man cuffed to the door before moving to the desk to call Stan in the New York office for backup.

Racing for the elevator, Lee changed course and opened the doors to the stairs. "This'll be our best bet," he looked to Francine. "Damn! It sounds like there's a helicopter approaching." With that he took the stairs two at a time. Francine shook her head and did her best to keep up.

Lee stopped behind the exit door as Francine reached his side. "On the count of three," he whispered, poising to take on what was waiting behind the door.

His fellow agent nodded her acceptance and watched him mouth, "One... Two...Three." Lee gasped as the dust from the rooftop filtered into his lungs. His eyes widened at the sight of the helicopter making its final preparations to land. Wiping the dust from his eyes, he sought out Amanda.

Francine quickly backed him up as she moved from behind him. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted the tall form approaching the helicopter. "Hold it right there, Andre!" she shouted.

Andre stopped and turned towards the two agents. Pulling out his own gun, he held it to Amanda's side. "I wouldn't be making any threats unless you want me to end her life right now!" Andre's voice boomed over the helicopter's whirl.

Amanda eyes snapped open with the feel of the cold December air amplified by the helicopter's force kicking up the dust around her. She focused on her surroundings, ignoring the pounding in her head. Seeing the helicopter doors open and Andre's intent, she struggled to break free from the man who was responsible for her impending doom.

Andre felt her sad attempt at a struggle and pulled her tighter to his body. Squinting his eyes to see the approaching blonde, he jammed the barrel of his gun into Amanda's throat. "Do you wish to die right _now_?"

Amanda stopped struggling. "Why do you need me? You've seen to it that I'll be no use to you in a few hours anyway," she pleaded.

Lee saw the blood on Amanda's face and the fear in her eyes as he approached them. Paying no attention to the risk his own life might be in, he continued to stalk down the madman before him.

Andre saw the other agent's movement. "Get that son of a bitch." Andre motioned to one of his men, riding shotgun in the helicopter. In a split second, two shots fired as Lee dove to the ground for cover.

Amanda heard the bullet whiz by her ears, and her eyes immediately fell upon the still form of her beloved. With her heart racing, she shouted, "Lee! NO!"

Francine responded as the shooter from the helicopter fell from his perch. "Scarecrow, watch out at one o'clock."

Lee looked in the direction Francine had indicated and rolled to his knees as the gunman fired off another round. Lee's quick reaction brought the man down with a single shot.

Andre watched with amusement, allowing a sadistic laugh to escape his lips. "So the great Scarecrow isn't dead after all. I may enjoy killing you myself." Keeping his tight grip on Amanda, he aimed his gun at Lee.

Amanda felt the gun leave her neck and the hammer release. Frantically looking for Francine, she realized that her friend wasn't able to get a clear shot at Andre due to her own body protecting him. Willing her body to function, Amanda struggled with all her strength. Her right hand came in contact with Andre's, sending the shot intended to end Lee's life into the air.

Seeing Andre momentarily distracted, Lee seized the opportunity and quickly moved to assist Amanda in her struggle. Andre saw Lee's approach and threw Amanda to the side, bracing himself for the impact of the angry man.

Francine, seeing the two men engaged in a struggle, went to relinquish the helicopter pilot of his now poised gun. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." She waved her gun in his face. The pilot dropped his gun and raised his hands.

"Turn this damn thing off." Francine ordered as she shoved the gun in his side. The pilot did as she requested and shut it down. She then motioned for him to walk over to the nearby railing and pulled her handcuffs out to confine him there.

Turning her attention back to the mounting battle between the two men, she spotted Amanda struggling to stand. "You all right?" Francine asked, as she helped Amanda to her feet.

"Yeah." Amanda's eyes remained focused on Lee and Andre. The two women agents watched as Lee placed a left cross to Andre's head. Andre retaliated with a punch to Lee's stomach. Lee stumbled slightly back, but regained his composure and lunged again at Andre. Andre met him full force with a fist to Lee's jaw.

Lee's head jerked with the blow, but he held his ground, turning determined eyes on the man who had caused his life to become a living hell. "That the best you got?"

Andre's face momentarily held a shocked expression before he, once again, attacked Lee. Lee ducked his intended punch and caught the older man by the arm. Swinging Andre to face him he gave him two quick blows to the head and grabbed the falling man by the collar. "Where is the antidote!"

Andre spit in Lee's face as he regained his balance. "Screw you!" Andre kicked his leg at Lee, who fell back against the edge of the roof. Andre's maniacal laughter filled the air as he rushed at Lee with all his might. Lee reacted with split second instincts and rolled to the side, causing Andre to slam into the edge of the railing.

A murderous scream left Andre's mouth as he turned to face his nemesis. Balling his hand into a fist, he lunged at Lee. Lee, having the advantage of a brief moment to steady himself, quickly blocked the intended punch with his right arm. With his left hand, he landed another blow to Andre's face. Andre fell backwards; loosing his footing he started to head over the ledge. Not wanting to die alone, he grabbed onto Lee. "Join me in Hell, Scarecrow!"

Lee, caught off guard, fell over the ledge with Andre. With luck on his side he managed to catch hold of the railing, and held on tight.

As soon as they saw the fight reach the edge of the roof, Amanda and Francine had closed the distance between them and the two men, who were hell-bent on destroying each other. They both reached the wall at the same instant that the men fell over the side. Amanda extended her arm to the man she loved. "Lee grab onto my hand." Amanda pulled at his fingers that were tightly gripped to the edge.

Lee looked up into her loved-filled eyes, and then looked down to see that Andre held onto his legs for dear life. "You can't pull us both," Lee shouted over the terrified pleas from Andre.

Francine leaned over the railing, grabbed Lee's belt, and pulled with all her might. Amanda grasped his hands, determined not to lose the man that had become her life. With a quick jerk, Lee was hoisted over the edge, causing Andre to lose his grip.

Francine watched as Andre began to fall the fifteen stories, to the street below. Lee clung to Amanda with all his strength. They stood silent as the screams escaped the man falling to his death. Lee pulled back slightly to examine the extent of harm Amanda had endured. "Oh, God! Amanda, you're bleeding." Lee gently pressed his left palm to the side of her head, never releasing her waist with his right hand.

"Lee, I'm fine. It's just a minor scratch. Are you okay?" She stroked his hair and looked into his eyes for reassurance.

"I am now that this is all over and you're in my arms again." He pulled her back into his strong embrace.

Francine turned her attention to the two, "Not that I want to put a damper on anything, but Lee, what was all that about an antidote?"

Lee and Amanda exchanged a horrified look, as realization came back to them that the nightmare hadn't ended with Andre's death.

"Amanda, without that antidote…you have less than twenty-four hours to live." Lee whispered into her soft hair.

Amanda pulled back from his strong arms and looked over the edge at the fallen man. Lee's eyes followed, his mind registering that Amanda's hope for life now lay crumpled in the street below.

To Be Continued….


	9. Part 9

See Part 1 for Disclaimer, Notes, etc.

Chapter 17

The sound of sirens brought the trio back to the reality of the situation they now faced.

"You two go back to the office and see what you can find out. I'll wait here with Butch and Sundance until the New York guys get up here." Francine pointed at the growing number of Agency vehicles below them.

"Thanks." Lee weakly smiled at Francine as he watched Amanda slowly walking back to the exit door.

Francine nodded towards Amanda. "She'll be all right, Lee."

Lee glanced at his friend and half-heartedly nodded. Turning to follow Amanda down the stairs, he said, "I hope you're right, Francine."

Amanda leaned against the wall as a rush of agents clambered up the steps up to the roof.

"Amanda! Are you all right?" Stan stopped and allowed his fellow agents to pass. "What happened to your head?" He reached out to inspect her wound.

"Yeah. I'm all right. Just a little tired," she tentatively touched her scalp, then continued, "and I guess a little bloody, too." Amanda weakly smiled as she felt Lee's hand rest on her shoulder.

Lee shook his head and narrowed his eyes. "We've got a big problem, Stan."

"What?" Stan looked from Lee to Amanda.

"Come with us. I need to have a word with Mr. Dobson," Lee hissed. Taking Amanda's hand, he headed down the steps.

Upon entering the room on the thirteenth floor, Lee noticed Dobson had been freed from the door and was now handcuffed behind his back. Two agents were reading him his rights as they started to escort him out of the room.

"I'll take it from here, guys." Lee looked to Amanda, assuring himself that she didn't need him by her side. Receiving a brief smile, he quickly closed the distance between himself and Mark.

"Where is the antidote!" Lee maintained his self -control as he grabbed Mark's shoulders and spun him around to face him.

"Go to hell, Stetson!" Mark met Lee's severe gaze.

Pulling Mark into a tighter grip, Lee's body began to shake as his anger reached its full height. "I just sent your boss there! Want to be next?"

"I know the rules. You can't harm an unarmed man!" the I.A. employee scoffed.

Lee narrowed his eyes at Mark. "I don't think that anyone here will mind." Turning to the two New York agents, he asked, "Do you guys see anything?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary," the two replied in unison.

An ominous calmness filled Lee's body as he watched the worthless man begin to sweat under his intense glare. "Tell me where it is, or you will die a slow and painful death."

Mark swallowed hard, realizing that Lee indeed intended to fulfill his promise. Lee's hazel eyes hadn't blinked when he spoke. Mustering his nerve, he decided it was time to pay Scarecrow back for all the misfortunes he'd endured in the past. "She deserves to die."

Watching the battle of the wits now forming between Lee and Mark, Amanda realized her body was quickly demanding rest. Closing her eyes she leaned against the wall for support. Her body was weak, not only from the emotional roller coaster she'd been on, but also from the acknowledgement that she could die within hours.

Stan remained by Amanda's side as he tried to understand what this 'new' situation involved. "What's going on, Amanda?" he asked, turning towards her, he took note of her shaky appearance.

Amanda could feel her body shutting down. She tried to answer Stan's question, but fell into his arms, instead.

"Lee!" Stan shouted as he caught her small frame.

Lee's head snapped towards the direction of Stan's deep voice. The sight of Amanda's limp body being carried by his friend sent a new blazing rage through his veins. He remained quiet as he turned his attention back to the squirming man before him.

"Go ahead do your worst, Scarecrow. I won't tell you a damn thing." Mark narrowed his eyes at the composed man before him.

Stan knew Lee was holding onto his control by a thread. He had only seen Lee this quiet and calm once before in his life. Images of that horrible night in Vietnam crept into his mind. Shaking off the memories, he placed Amanda on the couch. Motioning for Kevin to stay by Amanda's side, he went to try and diffuse the bomb that was about to explode.

"Lee." Stan placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "There's no point in making things worse."

Lee looked into his associate's concerned sapphire eyes. "I'm in control, Stan."

"No." Stan shook his head. "She needs you with her, not in a jail cell." Stan looked at Amanda, engulfed in the velvet couch.

Lee nodded his understanding and walked away from Mark towards the woman who was his heart and soul. "Amanda." His voice was incredibly gentle as he knelt and brushed a stray curl from her forehead.

Amanda's eyes fluttered open as she managed a slight smile. "I'm all right, Lee. Just exhausted."

Lee smiled tenderly at her as her eyes drifted close again. "Damn it, Dobson." He turned back to the defiant man. "Do you really think she deserves this? This is between you and me!"

Kevin watched the tension quickly mounting in the room. He had thought that his "partner" was well in control of the situation, but by Stan's reaction, he was beginning to understand that Scarecrow apparently was most dangerous when his outward appearance was cool and unruffled. "Ya' know, Lee. He probably hid it in a safe or something. I was reading a Sherlock Holmes novel last week, and the villain stashed the incriminating evidence in a wall safe." Kevin squared his shoulders and began to look behind the paintings hanging on the wall.

Francine had entered the room in just time to hear Kevin's ramblings. "What in the hell is he talking about, Stan?" she asked rolling her eyes.

"He might have something there." Lee followed Kevin's lead, and began the search.

"Hey, I've got something over here!" Kevin pulled the large painting of the Caribbean from the wall.

Lee glanced at Mark trying to read the man's expression. Mark's face held a surprisingly blank appearance, but his eyes were aflame with the discovery. "That's where it is! Open that damn thing!" Lee slapped Kevin on the back. Kevin nodded and started working on opening the safe.

Lee ran his left hand through his hair as he impatiently watched the young man trying to open the safe. Kevin pressed his ear to the metal door as he turned the dial, desperately hoping to hear the click of success ring in his ears.

Glancing at the motionless form of his fiancée, Lee pushed Kevin aside. "We don't have time for this." Pulling out his gun, he shot the lock. "Now try."

Shaking his head, Kevin pulled the dial off the safe door, and opened the safe. His eyes widened at the sight of the prize inside. Reaching in, he pulled out a small metal box and placed in the shaking hands of his 'partner.'

Lee closed his eyes, saying a small prayer before he opened the box. His prayers were answered upon opening it and finding two full vials and a full syringe. "Which one is it?" he growled, turning towards Mark, who remained insolent and refused to look at Lee.

"It really doesn't matter. Let's get her to the hospital and have some tests run. I want this antidote in her within the next hour." Lee turned back to Amanda and slid his arms under her shoulders and knees. Shifting his stance, he gathered her to his chest and lifted her from the couch, careful not to jostle her too much. As he cradled her in his arms, he said softly, "We _will_ meet again, Dobson."

Mark remained quiet as he watched Lee carry Amanda from the room. 'That we will, Scarecrow.' An evil smile crossed Mark's lips, as two agents escorted him out of the room.

Almost twelve hours later, Lee sat in Billy's office, rapping his fingers on the large oak desk in anticipation of his partner's return. Dr. Smyth had insisted that she be debriefed immediately after their arrival. At first, he was infuriated with Smyth for suggesting that she be put through the ordeal so soon after they had returned. The man had already put her through enough in the past three weeks. Billy had stepped in to assist Amanda in calming Lee down. He had assured Lee that he would stay by Amanda's side during the whole debriefing and promised make them take a break, or two, if he saw her start to appear worn down. Lee had conceded, but he still wasn't satisfied with just sitting back and twiddling his thumbs while she was being interrogated. He wanted to be with her.

Amanda had pulled him to the side and whispered a promise in his ear, one that hinged on his staying in Billy's office and not interfering. Lee stopped his protest and smiled at the reward she offered if he would stay away from the debriefing rooms. That had been two hours ago.

Lee looked at the clock and noted that it was now seven-thirty in the evening. He had been true to his word and headed straight to Billy's office, _after_ making a detour to the Q-Bureau in order to get some things ready for his partner's return. He'd been waiting in Billy's office for over an hour, albeit not patiently. Lee had paced the floor non-stop for the better part of an hour before wearing himself down to the point where he had to sit down and rest.

Trying to keep his thoughts from dwelling on the image of her being raked over the coals by Dr. Smyth, his mind wandered back to the day before. How she had reacted to his touch, and the feel of her skin. His features relaxed as he stretched his legs before him. His eyes closed at the vision of her naked body under his. His name on her lips, the expression on her face, as they consummated their love.

Lost completely in thought, he hadn't heard the door open, nor the woman enter. She looked down at the mischievous smile that crossed his lips.

"Lee."

He jumped out of his chair expecting to see Amanda before him. A broad smile crossed his face at the gentle use of his name, but it quickly turned to a frown when his hazel eyes meet the intense blue eyes of Francine.

"Gee, thanks. I would think that after the hell we went through for you, I'd get a better reception than that, Lee," Francine stated, flipping her hair out of her face and walking over to place a few files on Billy's desk.

"Sorry, Francine. It's just that I would've thought Amanda would have been done with her debriefing by now," Lee apologized, turning to slump back into the chair he had just risen from.

"You know, Lee. She does have three weeks worth of information to go over. You also have to realize that she had access to a lot of classified Internal Affairs information. I'm sure a representative from I.A. is in there, too, making sure she doesn't divulge too much of her knowledge of their operations." Francine tried her best to put him at ease.

"Damn! I never thought about I.A. needing to be there, as well. She's had to deal with a lot by herself over the past three weeks." His agitated expression turned to Francine.

Francine nodded. "You know, she even said some choice things about Dr. Smyth. She sure surprised me on this one."

Lee stood and walked over to his friend. "I don't think I've gotten the chance to thank you for all you did on this case either, have I?"

Francine folded her hands across her chest. "As a matter of fact, you haven't."

"Well, I want to officially say thank you. Not only for me, but for being Amanda's backup as well. It means more than you could ever know." Lee reached out and pulled her into a hug.

Francine stood there for a minute, a little stunned by this display of affection from Lee. Returning the hug, she said, "You're welcome…I think."

They pulled apart just as the door to Billy's office opened. Lee spun around and saw Billy entering. "Where's Amanda?" he asked, a little concerned that she hadn't accompanied his boss.

"Relax, Lee. She said something about needing to make a quick phone call. She's up in the Q-Bureau. Go on up. Just make sure you're back here in fifteen minutes," Billy ordered.

"Fifteen minutes. You got it!" Lee called out as he practically sprinted from the office.

Billy just shook his head and laughed to himself.

Francine looked at her boss. 'First he hugs me, then he rushes to see Amanda. That certainly isn't the same Lee Stetson _I_ knew four years ago.' Shaking her head, she headed out to the bullpen to wrap up a few things before heading home.

Lee reached the Bureau in record time. He paused just outside as he heard Amanda's voice echoing through the room. He smiled as he realized that things were beginning to get back to normal, and then quietly opened the door.

"Joe, I know I told you that I'd left the Agency. I had to. Trust me, I didn't like lying to you or anyone else for that matter," Amanda rambled into the phone. Lee could hear the frustration in her voice. She turned to smile at him as he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. He moved behind her and sat down on the edge of her desk.

"Joe, you know I can't go into details. Please tell the boys I love them. I appreciate you letting them stay with you for another night. You could bring them home in time for dinner tomorrow night. That'll give me plenty of time to get the house back in shape. Tell them I miss them and I'll see them then. Bye, Sweetheart." Amanda sighed as she hung up the phone.

"Joe giving you a hard time?" Lee touched her cheek with the tips of his fingers.

She looked up into his shining hazel eyes. "You could say that. He wasn't thrilled that I'm still with the Agency, but he'll get over it."

"How did your debriefing go?" Lee decided to change the subject.

"Okay, really. I feel like I signed my life away, though. James Miller from I.A. was there to make sure that I wouldn't repeat anything I was privy to during my three weeks with them. He must've had me sign close to twenty documents. Dr. Smyth was there the whole time, too, but he didn't say a word until the end." Amanda stood to walk over to the window.

"Oh! What did Mr. Personality have to say?" Lee asked, raising his eyebrows in curiosity as he went over and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Mother Hubbard found a bone in the cupboard after all." She turned around to face him. A small grin crossed her lips as she placed her hands around his neck.

"What do you suppose he meant by _that_?" Lee asked, as he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her sweet lips.

"I think, in his own way, he was saying 'Good job.'" Amanda chuckled as she drew his head down to capture his mouth with hers for a more promising kiss. Pulling away from him, she said, "Come on, I told Billy I'd be back down right after I made my phone call. Let's go see what he wants."

Lee reluctantly released her from their embrace but took her left hand in his right as they headed for the door. Noticing that her ring wasn't there, he lifted her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on her finger. "You know, one of these days you will be able to wear your ring in public."

Turning to look into his eyes once more, she said, "Until that day, I guess I'll have to get by with wearing it around my neck. It'll be best to let the boys get to know you better."

Seeing Lee nod his head in understanding, she squeezed his hand, and they headed back to the bullpen.

Billy closed the file before him, thankful that the month from hell was over. He glanced at the three agents before him as he picked up the phone to request Francine's presence in his office. "Francine, can you come in here for a minute?"

"On my way." Francine stood up from her desk and walked towards Billy's office.

A sly smile crossed Billy lips as he watched two of his best agents remain completely oblivious to their surroundings. Lee held Amanda's hand in his absently stroking her palm with his thumb. Amanda laughed as Kevin told his account of his brief partnership with Lee, while Lee protested each and every one of Kevin's comments.

The look Lee held in his eyes when he looked at Amanda was the same that Billy held for his own wife. Even after a month of lies and cover-ups, they looked very happy and content with each other. He had been correct on his spur-of-the-moment decision four years ago to team his hotheaded agent with the young housewife. They made a perfect match. He swallowed the chuckle that formed in his throat as Francine entered the office. "Take a seat Francine." He motioned towards the empty chair in front of his desk.

"Dr. Smyth asked me to pass on a word of congratulations to all of you." Billy glanced around at each of the agents before him. His gaze fell on Lee, who was rolling his eyes and shaking his head. "Something the matter, Scarecrow?"

"It'll never stop amazing me how the man will pay us a compliment through someone else, but never directly," Lee huffed.

"Well, at least we can be sure that some things—some people—will never change," Francine said, turning her head to look at Lee.

Billy let out a small chuckle. He was pretty sure of the true meaning behind her words. "Anyway, I thought I would also let you know that Rupert helped us find the mole."

"Rupert did? Really?" Amanda asked, a little pride in her voice for the man who had helped her get through this past week's ordeals.

Billy smiled widely at Amanda. "Yeah. Seems he just happened to over hear Rag Mop on the phone with Andre."

"Rag Mop was our mole?" Lee turned his shocked face towards Amanda then Billy.

"Yes. After a brief interrogation, Rag Mop admitted to everything. Apparently, Andre had convinced him that he was being taken for granted, and Rag Mop decided to show us what he was truly capable of doing for the world of espionage. Andre really messed with his mind." Billy shook his head, as a sorrowful look crossed his face.

"Too bad he couldn't have used his talents to work for the Agency rather than against it." Kevin ran his hand through his hair.

"Why did he take up with a man like Andre, or more importantly, why would Andre seek out someone as quiet and kind as Rag Mop?" Amanda looked curiously at her boss.

"It turns out that Andre was really Andre Krutiov." Billy looked directly at Lee. "I guess he figured a custodian was an easy person to prey upon."

"You mean he was the son of Serge Krutiov, the Puppet Master?" Lee asked as his mind began putting the pieces together.

Amanda turned to look at Lee. She remembered that case very well. It was when they had shared their first kiss. She shuddered remembering how messed up Tony Martine had been after having to turn against his love. "I guess history does have a way of repeating itself, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does," Francine responded. Kevin looked at the blonde agent, wondering what exactly she meant by that. She turned to look at the rookie. "It has to do with a case we wrapped up a few months ago. Andre's father was the mastermind behind turning a neo-classical play into a plan to steal top government secrets."

Billy chimed in, finishing his explanations, "It turns out that Andre held a group of agents responsible for putting his father away. Krutiov died in prison right before Thanksgiving. Rag Mop supplied Krutiov with a list of those agents. He used his ease of moving around the Agency and overhearing conversations to pinpoint where the agents would be. He then fed the information to Andre, who then arranged for their demises."

"I guess it just goes to show you that in this business you have to be careful who you trust?" Kevin shrugged his shoulders and turned to look at Lee. He didn't know this Rag Mop, but from the looks of his fellow agents, he was someone they paid little attention to because, in some fashion, they trusted him.

Lee smiled broadly at this young rookie. For someone who hadn't been in the business long, it was a profound statement. "Billy, I wonder why Amanda's name wasn't on that list. She was just as important in putting Krutiov away as I was." Seeing Amanda's eyebrows furrow in confusion, he added, "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad she wasn't a target. I just wonder why Rag Mop didn't include her name."

Billy looked at his friend. "I don't know, I really don't. Perhaps it's because she isn't considered a full agent, and therefore never made it onto the list. I would say, in some way or another, in the end, it worked in our favor." He looked Amanda and then back to Lee, a hint of gratitude on his face that things had turned out well, after all.

"So what now, Sir?" Amanda asked.

"Well, Rag Mop will be spending some time in jail for treason--" Billy began.

Amanda face creased with worry. "Sir, I hope he gets some help. It wasn't really all his fault. Andre had control over him."

Shaking his head, Billy explained. "Yes, Amanda. He'll receive therapy for what Andre did to his mental state, but he did commit treason, and he'll have to face the penalties that come with that crime."

Amanda nodded her understanding, gently squeezing Lee's hand.

Billy leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "You'll be happy to know, that the Krutiov line appears to have ended when Andre fell from the rooftop."

"We can hope, anyway." Francine mumbled.

Billy smiled at his assistance's lack of belief that the family was truly gone from their lives. Looking at Amanda, he said, "In thanks for your hard work on this case, I'm giving you, Lee and Francine an extended holiday leave, starting right now. I expect to see you all on Monday for the Holiday festivities. Go on and get out of here."

Francine stood and started to walk towards the door. Turning to look at Billy.

"I'm looking forward to spending some time locked in my apartment, not having to fly all over the place."

Amanda laughed. "Francine, I want to say how glad I was to have you working with me on this one. It meant a lot."

"You're welcome. I'm just glad that we don't have to hide anything else from Lee." Francine replied. She turned to Lee. "You really need to work on that temper of yours, Stetson. One of these days, it's going to get you in trouble." With that she headed out of the office.

Amanda glanced at Lee to see his mouth hanging open. She knew he was about to say something back, but Francine was gone before he had a chance. Standing to leave as well, she turned her attention back to her boss. "Thank you, Sir." She smiled, realizing that the extra time off meant that she would be able to spend today and tomorrow getting her life back in order and spending some quality time with Lee. It also meant that Lee would have no excuse not to spend some extra time getting to know the boys.

Lee smiled too, when he saw Amanda's face. He rose to follow her out into the bullpen and paused when he realized Kevin was still sitting before the now standing Section Chief.

Noticing Lee's gaze, Billy stated, "I need Kevin to stick around for few minutes." He motioned for Kevin to remain seated where he was. Turning his attention back to his senior agent, he remarked, "I don't suppose you'll be signing the roster sheet this year for Christmas Day, will you?"

"Nope, not this year. I think I'll be taking a few more holidays off from now on." Lee winked at his boss as he started out the door.

"Have a great Christmas, Lee." Billy shook his head acknowledging the reasoning behind it.

"I plan on it, Billy." He left the office, closing the door behind him as he heard Billy's chuckling. Smiling he joined Amanda, who was waiting for him in the hallway.

Lee knew that Amanda probably hadn't paid too much attention to the appearance of her house last night. He had tried to forewarn her about the condition of her house, but she wasn't prepared for what she saw.

"Lee…" She knelt by her beloved Christmas tree and picked up the pieces of the broken ornaments. "I know you tried to warn me…it so was dark in here last night, I paid no attention to anything and just ran in the front and out the back. It's all ruined."

"Amanda, why don't we wait till tomorrow to clean this up?" Lee knelt beside her, taking her free hand in his.

Amanda shook her head as she rose to her feet and stepped over the mauled packages to the other side of the tree. She gently picked up the broken tree topper.

Lee watched the emotions play across her face. After four years and all they had been through together, there were still a few brief times he couldn't read her. "What is it, Amanda?"

Amanda eyes glistened with tears as she caressed the Angel's wings that had been torn by the Puppet Master's thugs. "It's...just that this was important to me." She leaned back into Lee's waiting arms.

"It looks like an antique." Lee wrapped his arms around her waist, supporting her weight.

"It's been in the family a long time. Daddy gave it to me for Christmas when I was five. It was the one thing that I could look at each Christmas that made me feel like he was still with us." A single tear caressed her cheek.

Lee gently rocked her in his arms. He had never experienced the joys of a family Christmas after his parents died. He truly didn't understand the sentimental value some objects had for people, not until now. He wanted to be part of the King household family for everything: holidays, birthdays, picnics, snowball fights, and every other day of their lives. "Amanda, he's still with you in here." Lee placed his hand over her chest.

"I know. I'm just being emotional." Amanda turned to look at his glistening eyes.

"Amanda, you're being true to your feelings. One of the many things I love about you."

"I just wish you could've met him. He would have loved you." Amanda traced his jaw with her fingertips.

"I wish I could have, too." Lee took her palm to his lips and gently kissed it.

"I love you, Lee Stetson." Amanda placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"I love you too, Amanda King." Lee swept her off her feet and carried her up the steps. "I think you need to take a long hot bubble bath and let the new man in your life fix you some dinner." Lee huskily laughed as he reached the top of the stairs.

"Want to join me?" Amanda

"That's a very tempting offer, but I think maybe you could use some quality alone time. You go take care of yourself, and I'll take care of some things downstairs." Lee gently placed her on her bed.

"Well, maybe I'll just lie down and take a nap. Can I convince you to join me here?" she asked, patting the bed.

"Why don't you let me be your caretaker for once?" Lee's body warmed at the sight of her teasing eyes.

"You're just as tired as I am." Amanda pulled at his tie for him to join her.

He started to protest but realized that he really couldn't think of anything he'd rather do than spend some quiet time with his Amanda.

She watched as his determination started to fade. "Please, I don't think I could sleep all by myself." Amanda successfully pulled him beside her.

Giving in to her request, Lee kissed her forehead and pulled her into his arms. "I'll stay with you until you fall asleep." He continued to stroke her hair, until exhaustion quickly took over his own body.

Amanda slipped her hand inside his shirt and reveled in his warmth. She could hear the even breathing of her beloved and realized he was peacefully resting. She gently pulled away from his side and stood. Looking down at the man who held her heart in the palm of his hands, she smiled as she carefully removed his shoes and then undressed herself.

Pulling the covers that were draped over the edge back onto the bed, she covered their bodies as she once again snuggled close to him. She let her mind focus on their happy future together before joining him in dreamland.

To Be Concluded….


	10. Epilogue

See Part 1 for Disclaimer, Notes, etc.

Epilogue

Billy stood over at the punch bowl with his wife Jeannie. He hadn't been able to keep the secret of Scarecrow and Mrs. King's engagement all to himself. His wife stood beside him scanning the crowded ballroom. She was very anxious to bestow congratulations on the happy couple.

"Where are they, Billy?" Jeannie asked her husband for the fifteenth time in the last half-hour. Billy had told her that he was pretty sure Lee and Amanda weren't ready to broadcast the news right now, and had made her promise not to do more than congratulate them on the renewal of their partnership. She had agreed, but she couldn't hold back the excitement of seeing the great Scarecrow finally in love.

"They'll be here. Amanda called to tell me that they were running behind. Lee had taken her boys to a park near her house to go sledding, and lost track of time." Billy laughed at the thought of Lee as a family man. His attention was pulled away from his wife when he heard Francine calling his name.

"Billy, there you are. I've been looking all over for you," Francine said as she got closer to the refreshment table.

Billy turned to see the pleading look on his assistant's face. He tried his best to hold back a smile until he saw Beaman trailing behind her like a little lost puppy dog. The sight sent him into a fit of laughter.

Jeannie, familiar with to this scene from past Christmas parties, turned to scold her husband. "Be nice, Billy." Walking over to meet Francine, she put an arm around the woman and led her to the other side of the room. Glancing once at her husband, she let him know that the younger man was his responsibility. Still laughing, Billy walked over to intercept Beaman.

Putting an arm around the man, Billy stated, "Come on, Beaman. I think its time to send you home."

"But I haven't had a chance to dance with Francine yet," he slurred in response.

Chuckling, Billy led him out of the room and towards the hotel entrance. "I think Francine is heading home herself. Let me call you a cab. I believe you need to go home and get some sleep, Beaman."

Walking out into the night air, Billy held a tight grasp on the faltering man while he hailed a cab. No sooner had he put Beaman in a cab than he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He was pleasantly surprised to see Lee and Amanda.

"Francine have enough of Beaman's fondling already?" Lee huskily laughed.

A huge grin crossed Billy's face. "It's about time you two showed up. Let's get in out of the cold. Shall we?"

The couple nodded their agreement and followed their boss into the hotel.

"So what prompted the Agency to go all out this year for the holiday party?" Lee looked around at the lavish decorations.

"Scarecrow, the Agency does a big thing _every_ year, you just never bother to show your face," Billy replied, giving Amanda a quick wink. "I'm so glad he decided to join us this year."

"I am, too, Sir." Amanda squeezed Lee's arm lightly and looked into the hazel eyes of her fiancé.

Ignoring the banter at his expense, Lee decided to change the subject. "Billy, is there a coat check around, or do we wear our coats into the ballroom?"

Amanda shook her head knowing full what Lee's intentions were. Removing her arm from Lee's, she took off her coat and started walking towards the counter marked 'Coat Check.' Smiling she turned around. "I believe this is what you were looking for, Lee." Lee rolled his eyes and followed her over.

Billy watched the two and let a satisfied smile cross his lips. He wondered if they realized just how well they really did fit together. "I'll meet you two inside. I should probably inform Francine that Beaman is no longer a threat." He resumed his laughter as he walked back into the ballroom.

"Do you think we should walk in separately?" Amanda asked. Even after that what had transpired in the last weeks, the memory of what had happened to Khai and his family were still a constant reminder of the dangers that Amanda's family might be placed in. They had decided that their engagement and marriage should still be kept a secret, with only a few select people knowing the truth.

Lee shook his head. "No way. You're my partner and I want to show everyone how proud I am of you. Who cares what people say?" he replied, bending his arm to allow her to slip hers through his. Smiling, Amanda accepted the offer and they headed to join their co-workers.

Entering the huge ballroom, Amanda looked around at the couples dancing. She stopped abruptly at the sight of one particular pairing. Lee looked at her curiously. "Lee, I don't believe it. Look who Uncle Rupert is dancing with." She covered her mouth to stifle a giggle.

Lee scanned the dancers and his eyes fell on the old man dancing with Mrs. Marston. "Well…I'll be. If that isn't the funniest thing I ever saw," he chortled.

"I think it's kind of sweet. It's nice to see a more feminine side of Mrs. Marston." Amanda whispered, still staring in the direction of the happy couple.

As the song finished, Rupert broke apart from his partner. He saw Lee and Amanda standing off to the side. "Thank you very much, Gail, for the lovely dance. Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe I see my next dance partner." Taking Mrs. Marston's hand in his, he kissed it lightly, before heading over to greet them.

"Evening, Nephew. Would you mind if I stole this lovely niece of mine?" Rupert asked Lee, when he had reached them. "I want to collect that dance she promised me." Lee smiled and nodded.

Rupert turned to Amanda. "May I have the pleasure of this dance, my dear?" he asked, bowing ever so slightly.

Amanda grinned and removed her arm from Lee's. "Yes, you may, Uncle." Smiling at Lee, she accepted Rupert's waiting arm.

"Shall we?" the elder gentleman asked with a twinkle in his eye. He winked at Lee and led Amanda onto the dance floor.

Lee watched with loving eyes as Amanda gracefully waltzed in Rupert's arms. He planned on dancing quite a few dances with her tonight, and he didn't care what the rumor mill had to say about that. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his name.

"Scarecrow," the young man said a second time.

Lee looked to his side to see Kevin standing there with two drinks in his hand. "Good evening, Kevin."

"I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show. There was a bet going that you weren't going to make an appearance this year. Something about you always finding work to do over the holidays." The rookie smiled at his former partner. "Looks like there are going to be quite a few losers tonight."

Lee realized that his absence from all past holiday events was going to be a hot topic tonight. He might as well make the best of it. Letting out a small laugh, he replied, "Yeah, well, I'm hoping that my presence here tonight will start to put an end to my name in all the Agency gossip."

"I've heard you've got a pretty large reputation, Lee. I think you're stuck being mentioned around every corner for a long time to come."

Lee rolled his eyes. "Why me?" Shaking his head, he looked once more at the younger image of himself. "I'd be careful, my boy. Some say you're giving me a run for my money around the water cooler."

Kevin turned a confused look at Lee. "I'm afraid I'm not catching your meaning, Lee."

"One of these days you will. For now, maybe I should be happy that you're around. I'm not so sure I enjoy being known as a 'ladies man' anymore." He glanced over at Amanda and Rupert on the dance floor. "I think I'll hand that title over to you. It'll take some of the attention off of me at the Agency."

"Afraid not for long, Lee."

Lee brought his attention back to Kevin. Raising his eyebrows in confusion, he asked, "What do you mean?"

"I guess you haven't heard," Kevin responded. "Mr. Melrose told me that there's a position available in the New York office. Stan was so impressed with my ingenuity during this past case, that he wanted to know if I'd consider becoming his partner."

'Who would've thought that Stan would be asking for a new partner,' Lee thought to himself, then smiling at his former "brief" partner, he replied, "That's great Kevin." Lee slapped the younger man on the shoulder. "I guess I owe you an apology for the way I treated you. I never really made you feel welcome. I was so convinced that there was more going on than anyone would tell me, and I guess you kinda' got caught in the middle." Lee looked once more towards the dance floor at the woman he loved. "I owe you a huge debt of gratitude for finding that antidote."

"Hey, I was just doing my job," Kevin replied, a little shocked. After the way Scarecrow _had_ treated him, a compliment was the last thing he would have expected. "Besides, I can see that Mrs. King is a pretty special person."

Lee looked back to Kevin. "You're right about that." Hearing the song coming to an end, he quickly said, "Well rookie, good luck in New York. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to share a dance with my date before someone else decides to jump in." With that, he left Kevin standing alone.

Kevin watched as Lee politely tapped Rupert's shoulder and took Mrs. King in his arms as the older man graciously stepped away. Kevin watched the pair with interest. He wondered if they realized how perfectly they seemed to fit. He glanced across the room and saw Mr. Melrose and his wife looking on approvingly, as the couple glided across the dance floor, oblivious to any watching eyes. He wondered to himself if he would ever find the kind of woman who would turn his life around, as Mrs. King had obviously done to the great Scarecrow. Looking down at the extra drink in his hand, he shrugged his shoulders and headed back to where he had left Debbie Collins.

The End

(for now)

End Note: Although in the series it is never mentioned that Billy knew about Lee and Amanda's marriage, we believe, Billy could see that there was more to his agents' relationship than just a partnership. So, we took writer's privilege in breaking a bit from canon, but at the same time staying somewhat within canon.

In the episode "_Night Crawler"_:

Billy: "When I decided to marry Jeannie…";

Lee: "Wait a second, what makes you think I want to marry?"

Billy: "You will. You should. You've been a lone wolf too long…"

And in the final episode "_Khruschev's List"_:

Billy's last lines of the series: "You know, a partnership is like a marriage. You'll be getting practice for the real thing. Well, you never know, Scarecrow. I mean, stranger things have happened…" and then he lets a knowing smile cross his face as he watches Lee's expression before leaving the office.

He knows, believe us, he knows. J


End file.
